TOPS
Quentin Fillon-Maillet has continuation in the ideas
The new king of the pursuit. For the third time in a row, Quentin Fillon-Maillet won in the pursuit exercise. This Sunday, the Frenchman had all the more merit as he only started in 9th position, and that two faults on the first lying shot had relegated him even more, more than a minute and a half behind the leader of the race. But the French biathlete did not give up and a 15 out of 15 shooting revived him completely to a new success. And the head of the World Cup in the general classification. “
I want to accumulate good races, stay in my bubble
,” the Franc-Comtois told
Dauphiné Libéré
. "
It will be a goal at the end of the season if I can hope to play the general. I would think about it a little more. In the meantime, it's by far my best start to the season, it's really great, it gives me confidence. These three victories also allow me to intimidate the opponents on this kind of format. It won't make all the difference but it can help.
“Obviously, Fillon-Maillet already has his mind a little turned towards Beijing and the Olympic Games which will begin on February 4th. “
The Olympics, we often talk about outsiders who are not among the great leaders, there are always surprises. I really want to approach them by being calm but not too confident. It will be necessary to find a happy medium to approach them well and not to take me in the head on an event different from usual.
"
Read alsoBiathlon: winner of the Oberhof pursuit, Quentin Fillon-Maillet resumes his leadership costume
Benzema, roaring 300th
Karim Benzema continues on his leading bases at the forefront of Real Madrid's attack. With two new goals, one on penalty and then full of composure in pivot, to which are added a pass and a penultimate pass, the captain of the Merengues was the great architect of the victory of Real against Valencia (4- 1). Above all, the Madrid gladiator scored his 300th and 301st goals with the White House, becoming in the process the fourth player to exceed this symbolic bar. Now at a respectable distance from the former glory Alfredo Di Stefano (308 goals) and Raul (322), the Blues center forward has the opportunity to enter a little more into the legend of Real, which he allows to glimpse a 35th Liga.
To read also Liga: "It is a pride to put these figures in this club", says Benzema of his 300 goals at Real
Monfils starts the year off on the right foot
Almost two years after his last title in Rotterdam in February 2020, Gaël Monfils made a resounding return to competition in Adelaide this week. For his first outings under the colors of Decathlon, the Ile-de-France, who remained on a package at the Rolex Paris Masters in November, had the perfect week in Adelaide, winning the local ATP 250 without losing a single set. His victory in the final against Russian Karen Khachanov (6-4, 6-4) demonstrated that he had regained his feelings. Crowned with an 11th career title, the first gleaned “Down Under”, the 21st in the world is full of confidence before the start of the Australian Open in a week.
Read alsoA week before the Australian Open, Monfils wins the Adelaide tournament and builds up confidence
Urios finally wins in Brive
The Union Bordeaux-Bègles honored its status as leader of the Top 14 by winning Saturday in Brive (19-22). The Girondins were able to reverse a badly embarked situation, since they were down 14-3 at the break. For Bordeaux manager Christophe Urios, this success has a strong symbolic value since he had never won in Corrèze, whether with Oyonnax, Castres or UBB. “
The response in terms of state of mind has been positive. I had never won at Brive, I'm happy
, ”he appreciated. Bordeaux-Bègles - which was able to count on its internationals, Cameron Woki author of a test, and Maxime Lucu, decisive against the pole vaults - now has 9 points ahead of Stade Toulousain, with one more match.Solid.
Read alsoThe ranking of the Top 14 after the 15th day
The beautiful week of RC Lens
Things are going better in Lens. If they finished 2021 in the hard, the Sang et or indeed start 2022 under better auspices. After a stunning qualification in the Coupe de France against Lille (2-2, 4-3 tab) on Tuesday, they were full of points and strong emotions against Rennes on Saturday (1-0), thanks to a late goal signed Wesley Said. "
We are able to finish strong, we have shown it
", rejoiced Franck Haise. And the northerner coach added: "
We had a difficult period, as it happens to everyone in a season, and in these cases, you have to continue to believe in your game plan, believe in your players. We reacted well this week, but football is fragile
. " To be confirmed, therefore.
Read alsoTops / Flops Lens-Rennes: Saïd as a savior, Laborde within
Tessa Worley, the returning champion
The French Tessa Worley had ended the year with a bang with a success at the giant Lienz, her 15th career success in the discipline.
Fortunately, the New Year's Eve feast did not stop her good momentum since she won second place on Saturday from the giant of Kranjska Gora (Slovenia).
Enough to start 2022 on the right foot.
“
I am very happy with this race and the two races, I did my skiing.
Sara (Hector, victorious) was incredible, you have to know how to recognize when your competitors are above
, ”she said after the race.
"
I continue to be confident, I repeat the heats at a high level, with these feelings, with the way I know it works for me. Today on the start-up I was not at my best level of commitment. This is where Sara made the difference. There is still this small room for improvement on which I will be working.
“Two very beautiful consecutive podiums which, inevitably, mark the spirits while the Olympic Games in Beijing are fast approaching (February 4 to 20). “
Before the Olympics I prefer to be in this position than the other way around. I think I can still ramp up. I manage to find this Olympic state of mind in these World Cup races, to test it before the Games is very good.
"
Read also Alpine skiing: Worley second in Kranjska Gora behind Hector
FLOPS
Grimace soup for Clément Noël Did
Clément Noël see himself too good too soon?
A priori, it is not the style of the house with this boy, of course, has his head on his shoulders.
However, after his superb victory in the inaugural Val d'Isère slalom, the Frenchman got into the hard.
Well on his way to double Madonna di Campiglio, he stupidly took the door at the end of the second heat.
And on Sunday, in Adelboden, it was from the first act that he made a new error, which led him to this comment without language.
"
I straddled, it's a mistake (...) it looked really good, but I really took off anyhow.
I started very, very badly from the second gate and I was not in the rhythm, but the conditions (fatal among others to the two leaders of the classification of the specialty, Editor's note) were good.
I repeat it every time and there is no surprise, you must not take yourself for someone else ... Ok, I won a race but other than that, I do mistakes all the time and you have to question yourself too.
“A necessity when Beijing 2022 will begin in less than a month.
Read also Alpine skiing: disappointed, Christmas wants to "question himself"
Biarritz loses big
It was the game of fear, decisive for the maintenance.
And Biarritz Olympique lost big on Saturday by losing to Perpignan (23-25), in the duel of the promoted.
A new defeat of the BO against Usap, who had already won the first leg in Aimé-Giral (33-20).
If there is a tie at the end of the season, it could make the difference for the Catalans who are now three points ahead of their weekend opponents.
Even if the Basques did not give up and were dangerous until the end, the blow is hard.
The soundtrack is now the red lantern of the Top 14. It will be necessary to whip until the end.
Read alsoTop 14: the UBB in pain, Perpignan is needed on the wire
Lyon still cursed in the last quarter of an hour
OL resumed at the end? A nasty habit for the players of Peter Bosz, who had already given in to the Parc des Princes in the first leg, losing to PSG after opening the scoring (2-1). Sunday, at Parc OL, the Gones did not lose, but they did not win either (1-1). The fault for this goal signed Thilo Kehrer in the 76th minute. We can salute the mentality of these Parisians who "
never let go
", as the German defender underlined. Nonetheless, Lyon was already the club which conceded the most goals after the 75th before the match. The statistics were confirmed on the meadow ... “
We missed a second goal. We had possibilities
”, plague Peter Bosz,the Dutch technician regretting that his players have "
lost the ball very quickly in the second half
”.
And to add: "
We lacked power at the end, but the players gave everything
."
Not enough not to be "
frustrated
", as recognized by Maxence Caqueret, even if the Lyon midfielder sees the positive: "
We are reassured because there has been better compared to our matches at the end of 2021. But he There is still a lot of things to do to win this type of meeting and move up
the rankings
. "
OL (19 matches) is indeed only 11th.
Read alsoTops / Flops Lyon-PSG: Guimaraes master in the middle, unlucky Mbappé
Bad luck for Pogba
Paul Pogba is not about to return to the field. Touched in training with the Blues at the end of 2021, the 28-year-old international tricolor (89 sel., 11 goals) was to be operational around Christmas. Missed. “
A week ago, I was told it will take another four to five weeks
,” said Ralf Rangnick. And the new coach of the Red Devils continues: “
He does not train with the team yet. From what I know from the medical team, it will take another three weeks or four weeks and once he is in condition to train, that doesn't necessarily mean he will be in condition to play. It will probably take a few more weeks for him to run for a place in the first team.
Patience is therefore required for Paul Pogba's return to competition, and ... about his future as well.
The latest echoes from England suggest that "
PSG seems to be the most likely destination
" for Seine-et-Marnais, free at the end of the season.
Read also Mercato: PSG on pole to recover Pogba libre this summer?