“Finally…win a sprint”
Vittozzi was quite pleased to claim a sprint win after such a long time. “Finally, I made it to win a sprint, maybe the last time was four (five) years ago. I am really proud; I did a perfect race, so I am really happy.”
“Pushed with everything I had”
The 29-year-old sealed the win with the second fastest ski time of the day, gaining the crucial second in the last loop. “I went out of the shooting range one second behind, so I tried to push hard. I felt good. I wanted this win so much and pushed with everything I had. I am really satisfied.”
Jeanmonnot shot clean like her Italian rival but finished second, 5.5 seconds back with her 11th podium finish of the season. Switzerland’s Lena Haecki-Gross, also perfect on the range finished third, 8.6 seconds back.
Jeanmonnot’s teammate Julia Simon, with one penalty, finished fourth, 19.4 seconds back. Sweden’s Hanna Oeberg shot clean in fifth place, 20.7 seconds back. Austria’s Anna Gandler earned her second-ever Flower Ceremony finish in sixth place, with one penalty, 27.7 seconds back.
Despite finishing seventeenth, with two penalties, 1:01.6 back, Norway’s Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold won the Women’s World Cup Sprint Score crystal globe for the first time in her career. Tandrevold’s only previous discipline score victory was taking the 2021 World Cup Mass Start Score.
Tandrevold retained the Yellow Bib going into Saturday’s pursuit but her hold on the top spot in the Women’s World Cup Total Score dwindled to a mere 8 points over Vittozzi, 988 to 981, with two competitions remaining.
Photos: IBU/Christian Manzoni