Quentin Fillon Maillet ready to step out of the shadow of Martin Fourcade

Kontiolahti, between memories and the future.

Final point on March 14 for Martin Fourcade, winner of his last World Cup race ahead of… Quentin Fillon Maillet, posed this Saturday in Finland facing the blank page of a future blue to sketch.

At the time of setting out again in the countryside, the Jurassien, who was one of the strongmen of the last French winter (two silver medals at the world championships and one gold in the team relay; a victory in World Cup; 3rd overall in the World Cup) naturally evokes Martin Fourcade and his ten years of conquest, a monument: “Martin has brought a lot to the team through his results, his experience and not only in biathlon, also in the management of the media, sponsors and solicitations.

He taught us a lot, he taught us a lot in the short tour world biathlon.

He was asking his opponents to be better in trying to beat him.

He pushed the France team to a level of excellence, we can only thank him.

He is an athlete and a friend with whom I have spent a lot of time, more than with my girlfriend in recent years.

"

The one who comes forward as the successor underlines the competitiveness of the France team to share the weight of the succession: "We do not go into the unknown by saying to ourselves: we have lost our leader and we do not know where we are. goes.

We have a studious group that works very well.

The fact that everyone has high goals motivates everyone.

We are not afraid to extend the sessions.

We've been working together in the right direction for four, five, six years.

This is even more true this year.

The French public expects results from us.

With Simon (Desthieux), Antonin (Guigonnat), Fabien (Claude) and Émilien (Jacquelin), the team is super strong.

We were on the podium every time last winter during a great season, it was almost surreal.

"

Aim for the crystal globe

Driven by this success, Quentin Fillon Maillet (27) aims high: “I'm not afraid to say it, the objective will be to get the big crystal globe.

The challenge is enormous, but it seems less insurmountable to me than last year.

Small globes and world championships are also goals.

I want to go and touch them.

Johannes Boe (the Norwegian winner of the World Cup), as we saw during the Worlds, was less strong.

On skis, he did not dominate as he did at certain times, and even on shooting, he left faults.

When he arrived on the circuit, it was a bit of an alien.

Like Martin.

Athletes inaccessible, almost impossible to beat… ”

"Even lying in a bed, we imagine a race situation"

Quentin Fillon-Maillet

During the two confinements, Quentin Fillon Maillet did not neglect training, from the home trainer to the wheel skis, exercises on a machine to simulate the cross-country ski thrust in the garage, through the visualization of the shot : “Even lying in a bed, we imagine a race situation.

Thinking about it mentally, the nervous network will be activated in the same way as if we were playing sports.

It takes little energy, little time and you can do it anywhere.

I am working on it more and more.

»Before resuming contact with the snow.

Without neglecting the mental work: “To tell me that I train exclusively to win.

Of course there won't be just victories.

There will always be small gaps in shooting, defeats, but I am looking to win more regularly.

I tell myself that I can go for victory in every race, not just a podium.

I watch a lot of sports reports, interviews that can inspire me.

Like Teddy Riner, who won almost everything.

and Martin Fourcade, who also helped me a lot.

He's the biggest sore loser I've ever seen.

I hope to be able to be inspired by certain attitudes… ”An essential posture to hope to tame a season which could be turned upside down by the health crisis.

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