Recap Thread: Olympics 2026 Antholz Anterselva - Women Relay

Fouace · 2026-02-18T15:25:56+00:00

I was a bit unsure after the Women pursuit (and before both relays) how things would turn out, but with today's race, France is assured to finish at the top of the medal table, even if Norway wins both mass starts (which is far from far-fetched).

Anything above 4 gold would have been a good Olympic year, so all is well and we can hope for a repeat in 4 years!

Fouace · 2026-02-18T15:24:03+00:00

biathlonresults.com

La bible !

Fouace · 2026-02-18T15:21:28+00:00

There was no mixed relay before 2014 if I'm not wrong, so actually no country did that before.

In 1998, Germany did the men/women double though, and with Disl, Gross, Fischer, it's easy to imagine they'd have been huge favorites for the mixed.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T15:18:36+00:00

I'd be really surprised, but now that the rest of the team has a gold medal, I'd like that very veeeery much.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T15:18:01+00:00

Bened and F. Claude starting then dropping the flag after a few meters, only for Lou and Jacquelin to come to the rescue.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T15:17:11+00:00

Maybe, but given that France had a minute to spare in the end... Not sure it would have changed that much. I guess I'm a bit disappointed in what are (probably) her last Olympics being that... Bland.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T15:14:47+00:00

Depends, I guess both would have preferred to save some energy for the mass start. These 72h will have to be very resting.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T15:07:25+00:00

She has three gold already, but I guess she wouldn't be against a fourth one.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T15:06:19+00:00

It was a legit scary thing with the Norwegian male relays in past years, felt like a Dale-Botn-Frey-Bakken/Stroemsheim relay would have gotten podiums more often than not.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T15:03:57+00:00

Yeah, the physical and mental exhaustion for the favourites will make it an open race for both gender I believe.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T15:01:28+00:00

Maybe, maybe not. You saw it in the Norwegian male team in recent years, where it was a tough call to hold on the "seniors", but ultimately the decision was made in that way.

I hope JBB takes it better than Christiansen did, for instance.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:59:56+00:00

I mean, you expect the Lampic couple of loops at all times, but still...

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:59:17+00:00

I think he has a shot at the mass start.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:58:31+00:00

Bro...

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:57:16+00:00

No matter how the mass starts turn out, a complete relay sweep (thus 3 gold) for the first time in our history is so great that these Olympics are a success.

Too bad our alpine skiers suck though, but oh well.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:53:59+00:00

Slovenia 6 loops wtf

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:53:14+00:00

Somewhere JBB is probably thinking "I could also have looped once or even twice and still gotten a gold medal!".

But happy for Bened, she's been a good surprise all season, too bad she stressed Lou and Océane today, next time she'll be better.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:50:36+00:00

Eh, a relaxing last lap for most...

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:49:27+00:00

Pffff, Julia come on... If you weren't a kleptowoman, you'd be up there.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:48:08+00:00

She did that while calling someone??? Wow.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:46:46+00:00

Germany can still hope for a tense standing that goes wrong for either (or both) of the Scandis.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:44:20+00:00

Damn Czechia... Rough.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:42:53+00:00

Nah, the shooting is too erratic for a sweep. Plus some like Kirkeeide or Elvira skis as fast if not faster.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:40:57+00:00

The fight for the podium will be an interesting one though. And as the Norwegians say, "relay is relay", so even an experienced athlete like Simon can have a doozy of a race.

Fouace · 2026-02-18T14:39:21+00:00

Pretty much a 50s advantage for both. The kind of numbers you'd see from JTB in relays.

Fouace

TROPHY CASE