Norwegian biathlete Johannes Boe, five-time medalist at the Beijing Olympics, has decided to shorten his season and will not participate in the next World Cup events, the Norwegian Biathlon Federation announced on Monday.
"Both physically and mentally, the past year has been particularly difficult because of the pandemic and the preparations for the Olympics," said the triple holder of the big crystal globe, quoted in a press release from his federation.
"Since the 2018 Olympics there hasn't been room for a long break and I'm therefore taking some time off now so that I'm ready and super motivated for the next four years leading up to the Antholz Olympics in 2026,” he added.
The town of Antholz in the Italian province of South Tyrol will host the biathlon events of the Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Boe has just won four titles in Beijing (sprint, mass-start, relay and mixed relay) as well as an individual bronze medal.
He currently occupies fifth place in the World Cup standings dominated by Frenchman Quentin Fillon Maillet, who also won five medals at the Olympics.
Aged 28, the younger brother of Tarjei Boe will therefore skip the Kontiolahti (Finland) events this week then Otepää (Estonia) and Oslo.
Quentin Fillon-Maillet, favorite to succeed the Norwegian in the general classification of the World Cup, will be in Finland from March 3 to 6, like the entire French team present at the Beijing Olympics.