Julia Simon Wins Biathlon Pursuit in Nove Mesto as Lou Jeanmonnot Closes Overall Gap

French biathletes dominate in Nove Mesto with Simon's first World Cup victory of the season and Jeanmonnot narrowing Franziska Preuss's lead in the overall standings.

Julia Simon secured her first individual World Cup win of the season in the women's pursuit at Nove Mesto, finishing 17 seconds ahead of Sweden's Hanna Oeberg.
Océane Michelon, at just 23 years old, achieved her first World Cup podium with a third-place finish, completing a strong showing for the French team.
Lou Jeanmonnot, who finished fourth in the pursuit, reduced her gap to overall leader Franziska Preuss to just 36 points with five races remaining in the season.
Preuss struggled in the pursuit, finishing 13th after multiple shooting errors, allowing Jeanmonnot to capitalize in the overall standings battle for the crystal globe.
The Nove Mesto stage also highlighted French depth, with multiple athletes, including Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, performing strongly across the sprint and pursuit events.