Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, despite a penalty in each standing stage controlled the last half of the Oberhof Men’s 12.5 km Pursuit, skiing to a 33:25.5 victory with teammates Tarjei and JT Boe competing the podium. This afternoon’s victory was Laegreid’s first of the 2024/25 season while the Norwegian podium sweep matched the French sweep in the sprint.

“This was a chance for me”

Laegreid knew that today was one of those fairly rare days to win a World Cup competition. “It was so great to take my first victory of the season. There are not many chances we get through the season to claim a victory. Going into the last shooting, I knew this was a chance for me. I had to take it with both hands and I am so happy that I managed it!”

“It was our turn”

Sweeping the podium was particularly pleasing after getting blanked by their French rivals yesterday. “We got a lot of BS from them. It is always nice to do well. But now it was our turn to strike back. I am happy my team managed to best them.”

“Johannes' birthday gift is expensive”

Another Boedium followed Laegreid with Tarjei jumping from 16th to second on one penalty shooting, 5.2 seconds back while JT with three penalties moved from 13th to third, 19.7 seconds back. Tarjei’s fastest pursuit team earned him an extra check and he joked, “It is always nice at the first of the year and Johannes’ birthday gift is expensive so I need this check!”

JT added on his push to the podium, “Third place is not the best pursuit ever; third place with three mistakes is quite good…It was important to go clean in the last shooting…there was no energy left in the final loop…to catch my brother and catch Sturla.”

Sprint winner Quentin Fillon Maillet of France in fourth, with five penalties outsprinted teammate Eric Perrot with three penalties for fourth place, 23.6 to 23.7 seconds back.

Amazing Two Days

Ukraine’s Dmytro Pidruchnyi with three penalties finished sixth, 25.8 seconds back after finishing fourth in the sprint. “It was an amazing two days for my team and my coach. I trained alone without teammates all summer, and now these are very good results, after five years, fourth place is amazing.”

Strong Winds

The sun was out for the first time this week by the time the men started their first pursuit of 2025. With a strong wind blowing their faces, Fillon Maillet and Emilien Jacquelin both had first-prone penalties. Fabien Claude cleaned, taking the lead. Claude was again perfect in the second prone with Laegreid in second.

Door-opening Penalties

Four and three, respectively standing penalties doomed Claude and Jacquelin, opening the door for Laegreid with one miss to take into the lead. The Norwegian added a second penalty in the last standing, retaining the lead. Tarjei and JT both cleaned, moving to second and third.

Nothing changed in the last loop; the Norwegian trio skiing to a 1-2-3 finish.

Photos: IBU/ Vianney Thibaut, Nordic Focus