No one has won more World Cup gold medals than Johannes Thingnes Bø, 23. He also has three Olympic gold medals and 77 World Cup victories. Add to that five World Cup titles.
The fact that he is now retiring together with his brother Tarjei, also a successful biathlete, not only means that there will be a battle over who can call themselves the biathlete king. It also means that Sebastian Samuelsson no longer has anyone to compete with.
Got an answer right away
It's been a lot of fun and now you're missing out on it so it feels sad. But I don't think it's something that will affect it that much, Samuelsson tells TT ahead of this weekend's World Cup premiere in Östersund.
He has already shifted his focus from Bø to the entire Norwegian national team:
I think it's going really hard for them! I'm looking forward to a season without so many Norwegian victories, Samuelsson told SVT some time ago.
He received an immediate response:
If he means it, he is stupid as a chip. As I know Sebbe, it was with a big twinkle in his eye that he said it. He likes to send needle pricks over the border. And we manage to refute him year after year, said Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen to Norwegian TV2.
Norway remains strong
In fact, Johannes Thingnes Bø wasn't even the best Norwegian last season. It was Sturla Holm Lægreid who won the World Cup before Bø.
Martin Ponsiluoma believes that the Norwegians will have a strong team this winter as well.
They can actually throw in anyone and they can stand on the podium, says Ponsiluoma.
Who will take over from Bø on the biathlon throne?
"I don't think I see any clear favorite. I certainly hope that I can be one of those who are fighting for that title," says Samuelsson.
“New Fourcade”
Martin Ponsiluoma:
"I believe in Erik Perrault. He will probably be the new Fourcade. I think he is really good at it, actually," he says.
Jesper Nelin is also thinking that World Cup third-place finisher Perrault will become the new French star after Martin Fourcade, who was the biathlon king of the 2010s.
"I think Perrault will be the best. Then we Swedes hope so too," says Nelin.
The World Cup premiere in Östersund begins on Saturday with double relays.
