Last Trimester Globe Battle: Can Eric and Lou Seal the Deal?
It comes down to this every March, the final stretch run in the Crystal Globe battles, but 2026 is the once every four years anomaly. Everyone focused on Milan/Cortina, competed under pressure, some walking away with medals and goals met, others not so, but everyone left extremely fatigued.
Can Eric and Lou seal the deal?
Now the every-four-year phenomena kicks in, with the Olympic adrenalin rush over: Do Eric Perrot and Lou Jeanmonnot have enough in the tank to seal the deal on their first World Cup Total Score title?
It’s a Norway/France duel
The March battles will focus on the Norway/France duel with Sweden the potential spoiler. France dominated Milan/Cortina with six Gold medals, three individual and all three relays. The Norwegians countered with three individual Golds and five Silvers. Sweden won a single Gold while grabbing two relay medals.
With the last relays this week in Kontiolahti, the French women should easily take the Relay Score though the Norwegians only trail by a dozen points. The Norwegian men, despite the Olympic loss to Les Bleus have the depth to win the men’s title. France looks to walk away with the Mixed Relay title, carrying a 55-point bulge.
Eric in the Driver’s Seat
Eric Perrot opens the final trimester Friday in the driver’s seat, wearing Yellow, almost untouchable after the unfortunate end to rival Tommaso Giacomel’s season due to a heart condition. Perrot holds an 834 to 668 point lead over Sweden’s Sebastian Samuelsson. Perrot, with three individual wins this season had a solid OWG with 20 km Silver, Relay and Mixed Relay Gold medals but ninth in the Sprint, a charging Pursuit fourth, and meltdown Mass Start 20th. His 90% shooting and eye on the prize should do the trick.
Samuelsson, Botn and Dale-Skjevdal
Samuelsson’s clean-shooting Milan/Cortina Sprint fifth place was his individual highlight; Relay Bronze medal provided some consolation. The Swede leads the Sprint Score with Giacomel out; an Otepaeae or Oslo win could give him small Globe consolation, while keeping some pressure on Perrot.
Several other men will be going after personal successes. Olympic 20 km Individual Gold medalist Johan-Olav Botn is three points behind in Perot in the Individual Score. A Kontiolahti win assures the Norwegian rookie his first small Crystal Globe.
Olympic Mass Start Gold medalist Johannes Dale-Skjevdal may be the most prepared for the last trimester. With extra altitude training weeks and one successful competition, he should be fresh, eager to finish strong, battling for the Pursuit Score Globe. Quentin Fillon Maillet may not be as fresh as Dale-Skjevdal, but after his Sprint Gold and brilliant Mass Start Bronze, he is likely to finish the season strong.
Jeanmonnot’s Crystal Globe Mission
The road to Crystal for Jeanmonnot looks similar to Perrot; a 202-point lead over Suvi Minkkinen is probably insurmountable. Two Relay Gold medals, Individual Silver and Sprint Bronze, highlighted her Games, despite disappointing Pursuit and Mass Start results. Like Perrot, Jeanmonnot after the painful last loop fall and loss to Franziska Preuss last March is a woman on a mission: to hold the big Crystal Globe.
Suvi, the Swedes and Wild Card Julia
Minkkinen left Antholz with a Bronze medal, missing only four of her 80 shots fired in competition. Her range consistency and opportunity to shine at a home World Cup should drive her to the Pursuit Score Globe. Young Maren Kirkeeide rocked in Antholz with individual Gold and Silver medals plus Relay Bronze. The 23-year-old could surge to second in the Total Score.
The Oeberg sisters seemed to be running on fumes in the Milan/Cortina Games, except in the Women’s Relay where both were outstanding. With the OWG pressure off, both could rebound with a victory of two.
The women’s wild card is Julia Simon, shooting at a 91% clip and skiing well. She will not win the Total Score but like Oceane Michelon will be chasing podiums. Topping Jeanmonnot in the Mass Start Score race will likely be Simon’s focus.
Three Weeks
Three weeks: fourteen individual competitions, one more set of relays and oner more round of mixed relays means there is a lot of biathlon yet to go. Expect the strongest from Milan/Cortina to win the big titles, a few favorites to surrender to fatigue and as always, a few surprises along the way. Enjoy the ride!
Photos: IBU/Vianney Thibaut, Dmitry Yevenko, Ola Wizor, Nordic Focus
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