Winter Olympics 2026: France win biathlon relay, glory for Oftebro in Nordic combined – live
Winter Olympics 2026: France win biathlon relay, glory for Oftebro in Nordic combined – live
The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics reached a fever pitch on Tuesday as history was written across the snow-dusted landscapes of Anterselva and Tesero. In a day defined by French resilience and Norwegian dominance, the sports world witnessed two of the most significant performances of these Games. France captured its first-ever Olympic gold medal in the men's 4x7.5km biathlon relay, while Norway's Jens Luraas Oftebro solidified his legacy by securing his second individual gold in the Nordic combined.
France Makes Biathlon History with Stunning Relay Comeback
In a race that will be remembered for decades, the French men's biathlon team delivered a tactical masterclass to claim their nation's first-ever Olympic gold in the 4x7.5km relay. The quartet of Fabien Claude, Emilien Jacquelin, Quentin Fillon-Maillet, and Eric Perrot crossed the finish line in 1:19:55.2, upsetting the heavily favored defending champions from Norway.
The victory was far from certain at the start. Fabien Claude struggled during the opening leg, forced onto a 150m penalty loop after missing shots in the standing stage. At the first exchange, France languished in 13th place, nearly 50 seconds behind the leaders. However, the momentum shifted dramatically during the second leg. Emilien Jacquelin produced a sensational performance, missing only once across two shooting rounds to haul France back into contention. By the time he tagged Fillon-Maillet, the French were at the front of the pack, locked in a tight battle with Finland and Sweden.
Quentin Fillon-Maillet, already a legend in French winter sports, maintained his composure despite missing two shots, eventually tagging Eric Perrot for the final anchor leg. Perrot, the current World Cup overall leader, demonstrated why he is considered the future of the sport. Despite a tense final standing shoot where he missed twice, Perrot held off a ferocious late charge from Norway’s Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen. France took gold by 9.8 seconds, with Sweden securing the bronze.
Quentin Fillon-Maillet Becomes France's Most Decorated Winter Olympian
Beyond the team success, the relay gold marked a personal milestone for Quentin Fillon-Maillet. With this victory, the 33-year-old claimed his eighth career Olympic medal, officially surpassing Martin Fourcade to become the most decorated French Winter Olympian of all time. Fillon-Maillet has been a force of nature at these Games, having already secured gold in the men's 10km sprint and the mixed relay.
"This is my happiness," Fillon-Maillet said earlier in the week after his sprint victory. "I love this sport, and it is everything today." His journey from Beijing 2022, where he won five medals, to this historic moment in Milano Cortina 2026 reflects a career defined by consistency and excellence under pressure. The French team’s victory also set a new national record for the most medals won at a single Winter Olympics, bringing their total to 16.
Jens Luraas Oftebro Rules the Nordic Combined with Second Individual Gold
While France celebrated in Anterselva, Norway’s Jens Luraas Oftebro was busy making history of his own at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium. The 25-year-old Norwegian captured his second individual gold medal of the Milano Cortina Games, winning the Nordic combined individual Gundersen large hill/10km event. This follows his earlier triumph in the normal hill event on February 11, making him the undisputed king of the discipline in 2026.
Oftebro’s path to the top of the podium was a showcase of his incredible skiing speed and tactical intelligence. After the ski jumping round, Oftebro sat in fifth place, trailing the leader, Ryota Yamamoto of Japan, by 22 seconds. However, as the 10km cross-country race began, Oftebro "turned on the afterburners." He quickly closed the gap, catching the leading group that included world number one Johannes Lamparter of Austria.
The race was decided on the penultimate climb. Oftebro launched an explosive attack, leaving Lamparter and Finland’s Ilkka Herola behind. He crossed the finish line in 24:45.0, finishing 5.9 seconds ahead of Lamparter. The victory was a dream come true for Oftebro, who admitted he entered the large hill event as an outsider based on his World Cup form earlier in the season.
"It means a lot to win my second gold medal," Oftebro remarked. "I had dreamed about one, but to win two is something very special. My dream was to win the one gold, but to do it again on the large hill with huge gaps is an amazing feeling."
Daily Roundup: Silver for Lamparter, Bronze for Herola
The podium for the Nordic combined large hill event was nearly identical to the normal hill contest held a week prior. Johannes Lamparter of Austria secured his second silver medal of these Games, while Finland’s Ilkka Herola made history for his country by taking the bronze. For the 30-year-old Herola, it was his first Olympic medal in four attempts, a moment of immense relief and pride.
Elsewhere in the Games on February 17, the bobsled track saw a German sweep in the two-man event led by Johannes Lochner. Meanwhile, the United States men’s biathlon relay team achieved a commendable fifth-place finish, their best result in the event since 2018. As the competition continues, the focus shifts to the women's biathlon relay and the upcoming mass start events, where more legends are sure to be made.
Winter Olympics 2026: France win biathlon relay, glory for Oftebro in Nordic combined – live
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