Runaway Hochfilzen Pursuit Win for JT Boe

Norway’s Johannes Thingnes Boe, despite two penalties claimed a runaway wire-to-wire 33:50.7 victory in this afternoon’s Hochfilzen Men’s 12.5 km pursuit. The Norwegian was never threatened on the way to his fourth individual victory so far this season that includes back-to-back sprint/pursuit doubles. His teammate Sturla Holm Laegreid, with two penalties, again finished second 47.9 seconds back. Emilien Jacquelin of France, with three penalties finished third for the second consecutive day, 1:13.9 back.

“Tough racing alone”

JT’s win did not look as easy as it may have looked. “It was quite tough racing alone in the front. I had a quite good feeling in prone but ten just went away. Then it was a little bit more stress. I was feeling the pace of Jacquelin and Sturla. I have to admit that shooting in standing like Vetle yesterday in a big lead is not easy. I made a job and am happy.”

JT’s fourth consecutive victory marked his best-ever season opening. “I never won four of the first five competitions, it is one of my best.”

Jacquelin’s teammate Quentin Fillon Maillet, with one penalty, finished with a season best fourth place, 1:22.2 back. Switzerland’s Niklas Hartweg, also with one penalty finished fifth, 1:35.2 back. Italy’s Tomaso Giacomel, with two penalties had his personal best result with his first-ever Flower Ceremony in sixth place, 1:42.8 back.

JT Looking Unstoppable

By the time this final competition at Hochfilzen started, light snow fell from the overcast sky, but the wind died down a bit from what the women faced in their relay almost three hours prior. JT looked unstoppable once again: skiing a very speedy first loop, cleaning prone and gone 50 seconds ahead before the also clean Laegreid and Jacquelin ever fired a shot.

BMW IBU World Cup 2 Hochfilzen Men's Pursuit

Prone miss “went in the white”

The leader’s second prone stage looked as good as the first for four shots, then he missed, going to the penalty loop. He explained, “After the fourth shot, I pulled the reload and pulled the trigger right away, so it went in the white. I was surprised and opened up the race. If I was clean on that I would still have a gap, but luckily I stopped that (missing) in the first standing and I had one minute again. Then I felt confident.”

Holding Back Early

Laegreid cleaned, inching up to 26 seconds back while Jacquelin had a penalty, remaining at 50 seconds off the lead. Laegreid felt he had a good day, especially by not going too hard early. “I was holding back my ski pace early. I wanted to have something to use in the tracks in the last loops when I got a gap. It is important to not burn out all the energy in the beginning and when you get a gap you are too tired to keep it. I am happy I managed to keep Emilien behind me after I go this small gap on him.”

JT got back on track in the first standing stage, cleaning, to extend his lead to 55 seconds while his two chasers both ended up with another tour of the penalty loop.

Standing Formality

The final standing stage was a mere formality for JT, Laegreid and Jacquelin. All three added a single penalty, retaining their podium places with no one from behind threatening them.

Laegreid’s Strategy

Laegreid explained his shooting strategy. “…a few mistakes in standing but the shooting pace and confidence is much better. I managed to put some pressure on Emilien who was the main contender. I do not know how he felt about that. I am happy I managed to shoot fast and he knew that when he came into th range that he also had to shoot fast and clean. That puts the pressure on; I think it was a good tactic.” His rival replied, “I saw him shoot fast and thought the best way to catch him (was to shoot fast). I tried to do my best but missed.”

Jacquelin, “always satisfied to make the podium”

Jacquelin showed no disappointment with his third place. “I am always satisfied when I make the podium. If I wanted to be better it was on the shooting range. Maybe I attacked too much; not huge mistakes but I missed a little bit of focus, concentrating on my shooting. I have to improve it…but always satisfied to make the podium. It was a good race, good battle with Sturla.”

Flower Ceremony Shuffle

However, the three other spots in the Flower Ceremony shuffled in the last standing. Fillon Maillet, with a clean stage moved up into fourth with Hartweg also going 5-for-5 into fifth. Tomaso Giacomel, even with a penalty moved from 20th at the start finished sixth.