Norway’s Johan-Olav Botn and teammate Johannes Dale-Skjevdal duelled until the final standing stage of this afternoon’s Annecy Le Grand Bornand Men’s 12.5 km Pursuit. While the Yellow Bib cleaned, closing his 20th consecutive target, his rival missed twice, ceding the victory to Botn, who skied to a 31:20.8 victory. Botn’s third win this season and sixth career podium guaranteed he would wear Yellow when the calendar turns to 2026.

“I felt much better”

Botn admitted that today was a better day than yesterday’s Sprint when he finished fourth, a second off the podium. “I felt much better in the tracks, compared to yesterday. Completing a sprint/pursuit with thirty hits is something I have never done before. It’s a new one for me.”

“Living a dream...don’t want to wake up”

Today’s win gave Botn, who has only missed three shots in competition so far this season an overwhelming lead in the World Cup Total Score with 510 points to second place Eric Perrot’s 372. “I feel like I am living a dream. Right now, I don’t want to wake up. I just want to keep dreaming.”

Emilien Jacquelin of France, with three penalties won an epic last loop battle to finish second, 17.6 seconds back, .3 seconds ahead of Dale-Skjevdal, with two penalties, both in the final standing stage.

Jacquelin’s teammate Eric Perrot, with one penalty finished fourth, 18.3 seconds back. Swedish teammates Sebastian Samuelsson and Martin Ponsiluoma finished fifth and sixth, with four and three penalties, 22.5 and 24.7 seconds back, respectively.

Norwegian Duel

The men’s pursuit had the same perfect windless conditions as the women had earlier. Ponsiluoma led Dale-Skjevdal and Botn out of the first prone after all three shot clean, Jacquelin with one penalty trailed by 11 seconds.

Botn and Dale-Skjevdal closed their five second-prone targets simultaneously, taking the lead. Jacquelin shot very fast once again, missed a shot, but moved up to third, just a second before the 10-for-10 Sturla Holm Laegreid. Vitezslav Hornig, Ponsiluoma and Perrot followed closely behind.

The Norwegian duel continued through the first standing stage, shot-for-shot, with Dale-Skjevdal getting a 1.5-second margin on his teammate. Perrot cleaned, moving to third, ahead of Jacquelin who added a third penalty, 22 and 29 seconds back.

Jacquelin Sprints to Second

The final standing stage proved to be the difference maker. Dale-Skjevdal cracked with two penalties while the Yellow Bib cleaned easily, leaving no doubt of his victory. Perrot and Jacquelin blew through their five targets perfectly, heading for the finish second and third to the delight of the French crowd. Yet, Dale-Skjevdal, after leaving the loop 12 seconds off the podium caught the French teammates with a kilometre to go. In the last 100 meters, Jacquelin burst from the group into second bringing the Norwegian along with him into third, just ahead of Perrot.

Photos: IBU/Mobuchon, Yevenko, Manzoni, Nordic Focus