France’s Lou Jeanmonnot powered through the heavy at times snow and very slow tracks this afternoon capturing the Pokljuka Women’s 12.5 km Mass Start in 39:41.8. The French star took control of the competition after cleaning the second prone, going unchallenged to the finish, despite a penalty in the first standing stage.

“Fighting against myself”

With her win today, Jeanmonnot became the first French women to win seven times in a single season. At she admitted, despite a hard day on the tracks to being, “very pleased with my race. When I got to the shooting range, I was fighting against myself. It has been really difficult the last races, so this win is really meaningful for me.”

“Dealing with pressure for many races”

As for dealing with the pressure of chasing Franziska Preuss for the World Cup Total Score title, “I have been dealing with the pressure for many races now. This is the first race that I made with the pressure in a good way. So, I am proud of it.”

Bulgaria’s Milena Todorova shot clean in a personal-best second place, 16.4 seconds back. Slovenia’s Anamarija Lampic finished third, 22.8 seconds back, after hitting personal-best 19-of 20 shots.

Jeanmonnot’s teammate Jeanne Richard, with one penalty finished fourth, 41.5 seconds back. Yellow Bib Franziska Preuss of Germany with two penalties finished fifth, 54.6 seconds back. Preuss retained the Yellow Bib, but Jeanmonnot’s win closed the gap to 20 points in the battle for season supremacy. Sweden’s Anna Magnusson finished in a season-best sixth place, shooting clean, 54.9 seconds back.

Snow, Snow and More Snow

After snow yesterday, more heavy snow and light winds greeted the women this afternoon for the next-to last mass start of the season. The French trio of Julia Simon, Jeanmonnot and Richard all cleaned the first prone, leading the pack with 14 more also clean. The same group shot clean again and were first out of the second prone, with Jeanmonnot 12.9 seconds up on her teammates. The clean-shooting group dropped to a still impressive 14.

One Penalty

Jeanmonnot missed a target in the first standing but came off the penalty loop with a 4-second lead over Richard and Lampic, both of whom went to 15-for-15. Preuss, with two consecutive clean stages moved up to 5th after a first-prone penalty dropped her to 20th. Jeanmonnot sealed the win with five perfect shots in the last standing. Todorova went to 20-for-20, leaving second: Lampic and Richard, both with a penalty battled for third but the speedy Lampic pulled away with a gritty last loop effort for third place.

Photos: Jaroslav Svoboda, Nordic Focus