The atmosphere was electric this Tuesday, February 17th, in Anterselva. The French quartet, led by Fabien Claude, Émilien Jacquelin, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, and Éric Perrot , achieved the impossible: winning the Olympic title in the 4x7.5km relay. This is an absolute first for French men's biathlon, dethroning Norway and finishing ahead of Sweden after a thrilling finish.

The false start: Claude in turmoil

The race kicked off at 2:30 p.m. in light snow. Fabien Claude , the only member of the group still seeking a medal at these Games, started the race alongside Martin Uldal's Norway team.

Unfortunately, the first time behind the rifle turns into a nightmare:

1. Prone shooting: 2 picks required.
2. Standing shooting: Disaster was narrowly averted with a penalty loop.

France was then in 13th place , nearly 50 seconds behind. The gold medal seemed out of reach.

The comeback: The Jacquelin/Fillon-Maillet duo

But they hadn't counted on the resilience of the French team. Émilien Jacquelin launched himself into the fray with a fierce determination. Thanks to a supersonic prone shot and total physical commitment on the approaches, he put France back in the game and passed the baton to the leader.

Quentin Fillon-Maillet , fresh from his Olympic sprint victory, takes over. Solid and composed, he manages the pressure against the charging Sturla Laegreid and Martin Ponsiluoma. Despite a slight miss in his prone shooting, he shoots clean in the standing position, giving the final leg a narrow but crucial advantage.

The coronation: Éric Perrot, the composure of a great

It is up to young Éric Perrot , already a silver medalist in the individual event, to have the heavy task of concluding.

1. The turning point: A perfect prone shot gives him a 15-second lead.
2. The suspense: In the final standing shooting, Perrot trembles (two misses), but the speed of execution allows him to emerge ahead of the Norwegian Vetle Christiansen.

On a track that had become extremely slippery with the increasing snowfall, the Vosges native held firm. He increased his lead on the final climb while Christiansen lost ground on the descent. Perrot crossed the finish line victorious, carried by his tearful teammates.

A legendary record

With 7 penalty loops and a penalty loop, the French team proved that solidarity and speed on skis could move mountains.

1. New record: This 16th medal for the French delegation sets a new historic record for the Winter Olympics.
2. The podium: 🥇 France | 🥈 Norway | 🥉 Sweden.

"We have made history. We are not winning just for ourselves, but for the whole group," could be heard in the finish area.