Different Styles Win Pursuits

It was a stumblin’, bumblin’ finish in the men’s biathlon pursuit.

Ole Einar Bjoerndalen of Norway was 150 meters away from the gold medal Saturday when Frenchman Vincent Defrasne sped past him to win the men’s 12.5-kilometer pursuit despite a mishap on the final turn atop the steep hill at San Sicario in Italy.

For a moment it appeared as though Bjoerndalen, who hasn’t won a gold medal in Italy after sweeping all four golds at Salt Lake City four years ago, would join Germany’s Kati Wilhelm in redemption for a shaky start to these Olympics.

Wilhelm atoned for her disappointing performances in the first two races by easily winning the women’s 10-kilometer pursuit two hours earlier.

Defrasne, who skied stride for stride with Bjoerndalen on the final, grueling kilometer uphill, botched his turn onto the final straightaway, his skis skidding out from underneath him, and Bjoerndalen’s slender lead began to widen.

But he couldn’t hold off Defrasne, who surged past to win by 2.7 seconds in a time of 35 minutes, 20.2 seconds.

They embraced afterward as Germany’s Sven Fischer crossed the finish line for the bronze. Fischer and Bjoerndalen raised Defrasne on their shoulders after the flower ceremony.

“I’m happy with my race, but disappointed with the finish and not getting a gold medal,” said Bjoerndalen, who expended too much energy at the start, when he quickly went from 12th to the head of the pack.

Defrasne, who started fifth, 43 seconds after the leader, didn’t miss any of his first 15 targets even though he made a “beginner’s blunder” of loading only four .22-caliber bullets into his magazine for the first shoot, which meant he had to load an emergency spare by hand from his rifle stock or be disqualified.

The men had better skiing and shooting conditions than the women, who went off in a snowstorm and swirling wind, neither of which bothered Wilhelm.

In a format that often produces photo finishes, the World Cup leader blew away the competition, finishing 1 minute 13.6 seconds ahead of teammate Martina Glagow, who won her second silver, with a time of 36:43.6.

Russia’s Albina Akhatova took the bronze despite thinking about withdrawing because of sharp pains in her side. American Rachel Steer finished 39th.

Wilhelm was so far in front that she turned her final loop into more of a victory lap -- grabbing a German flag in her right hand and coasting through the final straightaway, her arms raised in triumph.