Perrot Leads French 1-2 in Kontiolahti Mass Start
France’s Eric Perrot cleaned both standing stages to take the lead, giving him a zero-penalty day, keying his 37:12.9 win and a 1-2 French finish in this evening’s Kontiolahti Men’s 15 km Mass Start. Perrot’s second career win vaulted him into the Yellow Bib, the second youngest male to wear Yellow since JT Boe who relinquished the Bib today.
“Checking 3 or 4 times to make sure”
Perrot was more than pleased with his big win, calling it, “extra special. I can’t speak because I am frozen; I couldn’t see because my eyes were wet and frozen but what a feeling to cross the line first. It is unique; it was like checking 3 or 4 times behind me to make sure and watching the public and celebrating.”
“Proud of my team”
Regarding his win and Quentin Fillon Maillet second place and France’s second consecutive win, “Second win in a row; that is crazy for us. I think we are on a good way especially after the hard season last year. I am just really happy and proud of my team and glad I could help…My performance was crazy for me, but all together we do a really strong team race; I think everyone in the team is able to do a victory.”
Yellow “gives you super powers”
Perrot’s teammate Fillon Maillet completed the French double, with three penalties, 9.1 seconds back. He gave Perrot a bit of advice about wearing Yellow. “It is not so much pressure…It is like a suit of Superman. It gives you super power.”
Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, with two penalties finished third, 11.5 seconds back. Germany’s Danilo Riethmueller finished in a personal best fourth place, 17.7 seconds back with one penalty. Laegreid’s teammates, Vebjoern Soerum and Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, with three and two penalties, finished fifth and sixth, 34.6 and 45.4 seconds back, respectively.
Norwegians Lead Early
After two individual competitions, the top 30 men lined with virtually the same conditions as the previous days, light winds and a -2C temperature. The Norwegian and French contingents controlled the pace into the first prone. Laegreid cleaned first, leading twelve out within 12 seconds. The clean-shooting lead group dwindled to six in the second prone with Christiansen leading the way and Endre Stroemsheim on his shoulder.
Perfect Perrot
Christiansen and Stroemsheim pushed the pace into the first standing. However, both missed, opening the door for Perrot who cleaned, taking the lead, with Riethmueller and Laegreid 5 and 7 seconds back. Into the last standing, Laegreid moved onto Perrot’s shoulder. Perrot cleaned easily for a perfect day, holding a 20-second margin on Laegreid after the Norwegian’s single penalty. Fillon Maillet cleaned, 7 seconds further back.
2024/25 BMW IBU World Cup 1 Kontiolahti Men's 15 km Mass Start
Fillon Maillet Up to 2nd
The young French star ran the last loop unchallenged; a battle for second and third erupted between Laegreid, Fillon Maillet and Riethmueller. Topping the “Wall,” Fillon gapped Laegreid, holding on for second with Laegreid third.
Photos: IBU/Romans Koksarovs, Nordic Focus/Leo Authamayou
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