After the last shot, it looked dark for the Swedes.
Sebastian Samuelsson was eleventh and Martin Ponsiluoma was thirteenth.
Then it tightened. Ponsiluoma passed competitor after competitor and was able to drive all the way to the podium.
Went for top six
"It was really tight out there. I thought I could make the top six anyway. I just tried to keep up as best I could. It was hard to get around, but I timed the last corner perfectly," Ponsiluoma said in SVT's television broadcast.
There was no doubt there was strength left.
I actually felt really refreshed at the end. I felt almost unfazed, a really great feeling. It was fantastic fun to race today, Ponsiluoma said.
Norway's Johannes Dale-Skjevdal won, ahead of France's Eric Perrot.
“My legs are starting to shake”
Sebastian Samuelsson has shown good Olympic form and was able to take the lead in the pursuit start because he won Saturday's sprint. But on Sunday the shooting was not as it should have been.
The Swede lost the lead and the chance for the podium after two misses in the final standing shooting series and finished sixth.
It was tough with the last two shots. Otherwise I think I'm doing quite well. I was being very cautious before the last shot. My legs were starting to shake, he said.
"Damn bastards"
However, he is pleased with teammate Ponsiluoma's fine placement.
There were a lot of people there. It was a bit crowded. Then I heard he was in. I didn't really think it would work, but Martin is a damn rascal at the end, Samuelsson said.
Jesper Nelin came in 19th place, Viktor Brandt 23rd. Henning Sjökvist 28th and Malte Stefansson 54th.
There is one World Cup weekend left in Nove Mesto before the Olympic opening in Milano-Cortina in three weeks.
