Samuelsson's fine form in sprint continues. He was second in the premiere in Kontiolahti and followed up by becoming sixth in Hochfilzen.
And now third in Le Grand Bornand, three miles west of Annecy in France – despite a penalty round.
I'm very pleased, I'm holding it together well on the track. If I had shot full, I would have won. But I'm pleased. It's a fast series. It's a very good race, says Samuelsson after his 21st podium finish in the World Cup.
I'm laying the foundation for a good pursuit. It's going to be fun to battle with my Norwegian colleagues on Saturday, he says to SVT.
Uldal's breakthrough
Martin Uldal, the fast-shooting and precise Norwegian, not only stepped up onto the podium for the first time in his short World Cup career. He stood on top of it.
Uldal was 1.4 seconds ahead of Bø.
It's crazy, just 1.4. I gave it my all. We've trained incredibly well this year, says Uldal and explains the breakthrough partly with the high level on the IBU Cup making the step into the World Cup easier to take.
When Sebastian Samuelsson is asked to comment on Uldal's victory, he says:
I hate Norway. I'm not that happy for my Norwegian friends.
Martin Ponsiluoma wonders what he's doing right now.
It's frustrating not to know where the mistakes are. Now I've become a bit lost there. It's about finding the self-confidence, he said in the pre-interview with SVT.
Whereupon he missed four out of five shots at the first visit to the shooting range. It didn't help that he skied really fast.
"Worse than a nightmare"
Ponsiluoma's struggle for form continues.
I don't know what to say, it's worse than a nightmare. I can't explain it. It's incomprehensible, says the national team's shooting coach Jean Marc Chabloz.
Two misses in standing gave a total of six penalty rounds.
It's just to go home today, there won't be any pursuit or mass start. Fucking sad. I'll try to find a good feeling during Christmas, says Ponsiluoma to SVT.
How the trip home will turn out remains to be seen. With 58th place, he made it among the 60 who get to ski on Saturday's pursuit.
Jesper Nelin was forced to take two penalty rounds, but skied well and made it to 18th place.
Viktor Brandt also qualified for the pursuit. He had only one penalty round.
