“I have no words for this”

Botet who currently leads the IBU Cup Total Score shocked all the big stars with a win in her 14th World Cup start and at the same time shocked herself, “I have not words for this. I can’t believe what happened… I was feeling good after the first uphill and then I was. ‘I am so wet and so cold. How can I shoot with cold fingers and then I did zero-zero.”

“So cold and so wet”

The 24-year-old who improved her personal best from 21st place in 2022 to first, admitted the last loop was tough. “The last lap was really, really hard, not because I was not feeling good, but because it was a lot of wind. I was so cold and so wet…I was thinking there were a lot of athletes behind me; I can’t win the race! I saw my phone and I was still the leader.”

Norway’s Maren Kirkeeide in second place, like Botet grabbed her first-ever podium with one penalty, 31.1 seconds back. The Oberhof conditions did not faze her. “I had really good skis and I am used to this kid of conditions where I’m from, so it was okay.”

“Perfect day for me”

Bulgaria’s Milena Todorova likewise was on the podium in a career-best third place, also with a single penalty, 35 seconds back. Todorova is the first Bulgarian to reach the podium in 20 years, since Ekaterina Dafovska’s second in the 2004 Oslo pursuit. After taking maternity leave last season, Todorova called her first podium, “A perfect day for me. I really cannot believe it. My focus was on shooting because I knew conditions were very hard…(With Bib 2, watching) was the hard part…just to wait to see what I would get!”