Crash in the final! Preuß snatches the overall victory from Jeanmonnot

The battle for the big crystal globe between Franziska Preuß and Lou Jeanmonnot was decided in dramatic fashion in the final race of the season. Jeanmonnot crashed in a duel with Preuß – and thus lost the overall World Cup title.

March 23, 2025

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In the finish area, Lou Jeanmonnot sank to her knees and buried her face in her arms. Just a few minutes earlier, she had been closer to the big crystal globe than ever before. After an epic exchange of blows with her rival Franziska Preuß, the Frenchwoman was in the lead with about 500 meters to go. But then the fall. In a direct duel with Preuß, Jeanmonnot tried to secure the inside of a left-hand bend, but tripped herself. The 26-year-old lost her balance, fell to the ground – and her dream was shattered. Preuß stole away and crossed the finish line not only in first place, but also as the newly crowned overall World Cup winner (38.23,8 minutes 1 seconds/3,3 penalty loop). Behind Sweden's Elvira Öberg (+3/11,7), Jeanmonnot finished third (+1/XNUMX).

With her lead before the race being only five points, Jeanmonnot was knocked out of the lead in the final meters of the season, which she had only conquered on Saturday, ousted. In the final standings, Preuß finished 20 points ahead of her French opponent, thus bagging the first major crystal globe of her career. She was also delighted to win the mass start discipline. Consolation for Jeanmonnot: In addition to eight season victories, she also won the two crystal globes in the individual and pursuit events.

Emotional images in the target area

Despite all the competition on the trail, Preuß and Jeanmonnot demonstrated shortly after the race what the sport is all about. At the moment of their greatest triumph, Preuß made her way to the defeated Frenchwoman and comforted her. Shortly thereafter, the two exceptional athletes were virtually surrounded by their fellow competitors, and hugs were in abundance in this emotional moment.

Franziska Preuß and Lou Jeanmonnot embrace. © ANSA / TERJE PEDERSEN

"Everything is pretty emotional right now," Preuß explained in the official winner's interview. "Mentally, I'm just exhausted. It's a strange feeling; of course, this wasn't the ending we imagined. But it was an exciting race. The fact that we were both on the last lap together – that was crazy." Winning the overall World Cup was a dream come true for her. "It means a lot to me. I've done so much for this. I probably need a few more minutes to realize it all."

Wierer experiences a debacle

For Dorothea Wierer, however, the finale went anything but according to plan. The two-time overall World Cup winner completed a total of eight penalty loops and crossed the finish line last (30th/+6.03,1:18). In addition to the veteran from Niederrasen, another Azzurra was also competing. Samuela Comola finished 1.52,8th (+4:15.40/XNUMX). The final highlight of the season will be the men's mass start. The starting gun for Johannes Thingnes Bö's final World Cup race will be fired at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.