In addition to Johannes Boe, guaranteed to win the big crystal globe which rewards the best biathlete of the winter, and his brother Tarjei, were also missing Quentin Fillon Maillet and the Swede Sebastian Samuelsson, the fault of the Covid-19.

Christiansen, author of a 20 out of 20 on the shooting range, took full advantage of it to win and even offer Norway another double, with Johannes Dale, second at 9 seconds with a fault.

Perrot also knew how to seize his chance: coming out second from the last standing shot and struggling with Dale throughout the last loop, he finally finished third, at twelve seconds, with a 19/20 behind the rifle.

At 21, the young Frenchman played his very first mass start in the World Cup and took his 26th individual start there (29th including the Worlds-2023).

"It's crazy, I dream about it all the time, it's still a different feeling when it happens. Feeling on the last lap that I still have resources to go for the podium, and on the finish line , when I count in front of me and I see that I am really third, these are quite unique moments”, says Perrot in videoconference.

"I took a few seconds to enjoy it, to tell myself that it really happened, he continues. Dreaming about it is something, but when it happens, it's magic."

"I see that it misses arriving at the (last) shot, I can see that it can play the podium, but I remain well focused, rewinds Perrot. And when I saw Johannes (Dale) pass (in the last lap) , I said to myself: + Now is the time to take the train +.”

The Franco-Norwegian (his mother is Norwegian) had given clues to his good form at the moment by taking sixth place in the individual on Thursday, then the best result of his young career, then by signing a stint without a hitch on Saturday.

For the Blues, however, it is only the fifth individual podium of the winter.

Fillon Maillet climbed on only one, Emilien Jacquelin, who ended his season early after the Worlds in February, out of three.

"I am proud to be able to densify this team a little, to bring my stone to the building", says Perrot, who "does not set limits at all".

© 2023 AFP