Sebastian Samuelsson has nursed his wounds after the Olympics, where he was very unhappy about missing out on an individual medal. Now he is aiming for the last three competitions in the World Cup, which begin in Kontiolax, Finland, this week.
I'm good at letting go and moving on, and now I have new goals, he says after the biathlon competition in Stockholm on Monday.
It's a bit up to World Cup leader Eric Perrot. But it's not impossible, and if nothing else, I want to give him a fight about it.
“I’m going to be a little nervous”
The Frenchman leads the World Cup ahead of Italian Tommaso Giacomel, who has retired from the season after undergoing heart surgery, with Samuelsson in third place. Perrot has a 166-point lead over the Swede.
Samuelsson believes that Perrot has an 80 percent chance of winning and he himself has a 10 percent chance.
If I win two races and he finishes tenth twice, then I'm not far behind. It's going to be tough but I want him to be a little nervous for as long as possible.
Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen, ninth overall, gives Samuelsson no more than a 2 percent chance, compared to Perrot's 98 percent, of winning the World Cup.
Perrot looks the sharpest. But maybe "Sebbe" will, for the first time, ensure that there will be a Swede ahead of a Norwegian in the overall World Cup. I don't think it's happened before, so Sebbe can concentrate on that fight, says the Norwegian with a grin, in connection with the biathlon match.
High altitude can have an effect
When asked how it would feel for Norwegians, he answers:
It would feel absolutely awful. It would sting a little, even though we feel like we're probably a little better than Sweden as a team anyway. But it would have hurt a bit.
The best Norwegian overall is Johan-Olav Botn who is fourth, 38 points behind Samuelsson.
What may speak for Samuelsson in the coming weeks is that the Olympics were held at high altitude in Antholz. Competing at high altitude does not suit him, but it usually has an effect when he then comes down to lowland.
I get a very good effect when I come down. So I think that going into this weekend and maybe even more so next weekend, my form can be very, very good.
Three competitions remain in the World Cup, in Kontiolax, Otepää and Oslo.
Here's the score, gentlemen:
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Eric Perrot, France, 834 points
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Tommaso Giacomel, Italy, 797*
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Sebastian Samuelsson, Sweden, 668
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Johan-Olav Botn, Norway, 630
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Quentin Fillon Maillet, France, 503
... 7) Martin Ponsiluoma, Sweden, 500
* Giacomel will not compete again this spring after undergoing heart surgery
Ladies:
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Lou Jeanmonnot, France, 848
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Suvi Minkkinen, Finland, 646
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Anna Magnusson, Sweden, 585
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Maren Kirkeeide, Norway, 576
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Hanna Öberg, Sweden, 560
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Elvira Öberg, Sweden, 506
The competitions in Kontiolax:
March 5: Distance, women (17.05)
March 6: Distance, men (17.10)
March 7: Mass start, women (1:40 p.m.), relay, men (3:40 p.m.)
March 8: Relay, women (13.30), mass start men (16.55)
