With Julia Simon, third, and Lou Jeanmonnot, second for his very first podium in the Biathlon World Cup, the Blues were doubly rewarded after the 15 km of the individual in Ruhpolding (Germany) Thursday.
Simon did the right thing in the general classification since her closest pursuer, Sweden's Elvira Oeberg, finished sixth (1 fault, +1:19.1).
The 26-year-old Frenchwoman thus consolidates her yellow leader's bib, with 666 points against 615 for her Scandinavian rival and 463 for the Italian Lisa Vittozzi, victorious on Thursday.
“
Every day I wear it is a day off.
It's a great opportunity to be able to feel this pressure to play a jersey, positive the Savoyard.
It teaches me a lot of things, the management of more pressure, it's interesting.
It's a great battle.
It's a pleasure to be able to fight against her and I hope it lasts a long time.
»
Proof of his new regularity this season: Simon climbed for the eighth time this winter on the podium in eleven individual races.
For comparison, Oeberg has only four, but three victories.
Better than the French, victorious in two lawsuits in December.
With a minute penalty on her last standing shot, Simon finished third at 45 secs 2/10 from Lisa Vittozzi, victorious with a 20/20 on shot.
Like Jeanmonnot, second 39 seconds behind the Italian and rewarded with her first individual podium in the World Cup, for her 19th start.
Progress on skis
“
In shooting, I felt that I was in a day where I could make mistakes, says Julia Simon.
So I'm really very happy, 19 out of 20, it's a very good race.
»
“
It's so cool, a nice feeling.
It's a reward for my work
, ”appreciates Jeanmonnot without effusion, who climbs to 11th place overall.
At 24, and two years after her debut in the big leagues, the Jurassienne is living her first full season in the World Cup.
She opened the doors to it last winter by offering herself the big crystal globe at the lower level, the IBU Cup.
Until then, his best individual result in the World Cup was sixth place, obtained in a mass start at Grand-Bornand (Haute-Savoie) in mid-December.
Shooter of excellence - 93% success on average last winter and nearly 90% this season - it is her progress on skis that she highlights.
"
That's what gives me the most pleasure
," smiles Jeanmonnot.
“
The 20/20 shooting, I knew I had done it before and that I was able to do it again.
On skis, it's only since this year that I think I can do good times, she explains.
When I see the speed at which I have progressed this year, if it continues like this for the next three years, I hope it will send heavy one day...
"
Make way for the men's relay on Friday in Bavaria.
Still without Emilien Jacquelin on the blue side, but with Eric Perrot, Quentin Fillon Maillet, Antonin Guigonnat and Fabien Claude as the last runner.