Frenchman Eric Perrot wins his second straight mass start at Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, just 12 days before the Olympics.
Frenchman Eric Perrot won the Nove Mesto mass start (15 km) on Sunday, scoring his second straight victory in the Czech Republic just 12 days before the Milan Cortina Olympic Games (February 6-22).
The 24-year-old from Savoy won the short individual (15 km) on Thursday, finishing 9 seconds ahead of American Campbell Wright (19/20) and 16 seconds ahead of Norwegian Sverre Aspenes (20/20).
Eric Perrot takes the overall World Cup lead with his third victory of the winter, following the dismal performance of yellow bib wearer Tommaso Giacomel, who finished 11th in 54 seconds and was penalised for five shooting faults.
Perrot currently leads the Italian by 37 points (834 to 797) and 166 points over the Swede Sebastian Samuelsson (668), who is 13th and more than a minute behind (16/20).
The Olympic biathlon events will begin on February 8 with the mixed relay at the Anterselva location (Trentino-Alto Adige), in northern Italy, at an elevation of 1,600 m.
The Nove Mesto stage will culminate on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. with the women’s mass start (12.5 km). Following the Olympics, the World Cup will resume in Kontiolahti, Finland, from March 5 to 8.
