Fillon Maillet Doubles Up with Ruhpolding Pursuit Win

France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet, with two penalties on the day, took charge of this afternoon’s Ruhpolding men’s 12.5 km pursuit in the first standing stage, and never looked back in his 31:03.6 back. Today’s victory gave Fillon Maillet the second sprint/pursuit double of his career. Russia’s Alexander Loginov, with one penalty, finished second, 8.8 seconds back. Belarus’ Anton Smolski, with two penalties, finished third, 13.1 seconds back.

BMW IBU World Cup Ruhpolding Men's Pursuit 22

“Like an individual race”

The win was far from easy for Fillon Maillet, especially in the prone stages when Benedikt Doll challenged. “It was not easy. It was quite hard today. It looked like an individual race. I saw Doll sometimes on the skis and shooting. After I skied all the race alone; quite hard on the ski, but I tried to stay focused on the shooting.” Later adding, “It was hard to find the good way for the victory. There was a lot of pressure on the last shooting because I knew I am alone to decide if I win or not…Five wins this season is incredible” … Finally, I won again. I am very happy.”

Hard Last Standing

Although the final and deciding standing stage may have looked easy, even with the penalty, Fillon Maillet admitted it is always a mind game. “The last shooting in the head is not every time easy. You have the legs move a little bit. If you miss two or three you lose the race. It is quite hard.”

Red and Yellow

Fillon Maillet continued to feel little pressure, just delight, wearing the Yellow and Red Bibs today. “A new color on the bib. It is very good. I kept the good feeling with this bib. Not too much pressure; that is okay.”

Simon Desthieux of France, with two penalties finished fourth, 22.4 seconds back. Vytautas Strolia of Lithuania, with one penalty, finished fifth, 30.4 seconds back while Erik Lesser of Germany, also with one penalty finished sixth, 37.9 seconds back.

The men had just as good of conditions for their pursuit as the women had just two hours earlier. Fillon Maillet controlled the pace into the first prone stage, but he picked up a penalty while Doll cleaned to take a 15-second lead out of the stadium. Tero Seppala and Lesser also cleaned, going out third and fourth, but 38 seconds back.

Doll and Fillon Maillet

Fillon Maillet closed the gap to Doll down to 8 seconds by the second prone stage, but Doll again cleaned quickly to retain the lead. Fillon Maillet matched, leaving 10.5 seconds back, while Lesser was again perfect to move to third, 36 seconds back with Loginov fourth at 48 seconds back, along with Emilien Claude, Simon Eder, Strolia and Sebastian Samuelsson.

Fillon Maillet in Front

The Yellow Bib edged closer to his German rival over the next 2.5 km loop, down to two seconds by the first standing stage. This time, Fillon Maillet got the edge with a five center shots while Doll went for two penalty loops. Samuelsson coming back from 18th at the start cleaned his second consecutive stage to move into third behind the clean-shooting Lesser, but 36 seconds back. Strolia, Eder, Tsvetkov and Doll followed the Swede in a train, each a second apart.

Loginov and Smolski move up

The French star was all alone coming into the last standing with Samuelsson and Lesser together but 37 seconds back. The leader picked up a penalty, but was remained safely in the lead going out of the loop. Lesser missed once and Samuelsson twice while Strolia, Loginov, and Smolski cleaned, all leaving almost together as Lesser exited the penalty loop. As soon as they hit the tracks, Loginov moved into second with Smolski just behind.

Last Standing Concentration

Loginov after moving from 32nd at the start explained how he secured second place in the last standing stage and final loop. “I am happy with a really good performance today and good shooting. Before the last shooting, I was a little bit tired and I saw a light wind. I understood that I needed a lot of concentration on the last shooting. I shot clean and my feeling on the last lap was very good; I understood that I could save second place.”

Kissing the Yellow Bib

The Yellow Bib ran the last loop unopposed, giving him a Ruhpolding sprint/pursuit double. He crossed the line hands high in the air, then kissed the Yellow Bib. Loginov held off Smolski for second place.

“Everything was possible”

Smolski after third in the sprint had a plan today. “From the first meters, I did not go that fast because I was trying to save my powers for the last lap. After the second shooting, I knew it was going to be quite tough to battle for a podium place and I did not believe in that. But when I was leaving the last standing, I knew everything was possible and I gave my best.”

Photos: IBU/Walter

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