LAST LOOP BATTLE ! Biathlon World Cup 2016 (stage 6) - Women's 10km Pursuit race

BMW IBU Biathlon World Cup 2016 (stage 6) - Women's 10km Pursuit race 23.01.2016, Antholz Career Win Number Two for Ekaterina Yurlova Third Place for Wierer Russia's Ekaterina Yurlova took charge of the women's pursuit with a clean final standing stage and went on to the second victory in her career, with a single penalty in 30:07.3. Selina Gasparin with her best result of the season finished second, also with one penalty, 12 seconds back. Third went to Italy's Dorothea Wierer, with three penalties, 18 seconds back. After big battle down the final 200 meters, Norway's Tiril Eckhoff finished fourth, with four penalties, 48 seconds back. Krystyna Guzik of Poland also had a season best in fifth, with two penalties, 51.9 seconds back. Italy picked up another top place with Karin Oberhofer in sixth, with three penalties, 59.7 seconds back. A bit warmer temperatures, some clouds, and bit of wind set the stage for the women's pursuit this afternoon. Wierer and Podchufarova set the pace for the prone stages, shooting clean and setting the pace for the rest of the field. A group including Soukalova followed with the Yellow Bib slowly cleaning the prone stages and slowly closing in on the top two. In the first standing, Wierer was in the lead until she picked up two penalties, while the young Russian cleaned. Soukalova had a single penalty while Yurlova cleaned and moved into third but 40 seconds back with Soukalova in fourth, 50 plus seconds back. Whoosh! The final standing stage as always would be crucial. Podchufarova led the field comfortably as they came to the stadium, but had two penalties. Yurlova cleaned and Wierer had a penalty and Soukalova two. Gasparin cleaned and with only one penalty on the day, left in third position for the last loop behind Wierer. In the final stadium loop, Gasparin went past the local hero to take second. Wierer described the moment. "Selina passed me like Whoosh!! I was too tired to respond." Smiling Yurlova was flashing her trademark smile after the win that she was not prepared for. "I did not think I would be on the podium; I did not prepare for it. I just needed to do good work on the skis and shooting today and that would be good enough...Regardless of the results, I always try to stay smiling." Pleased She admitted surprise at her success at this 1638 meter high venue. "I am afraid of high altitude; my body does not like it. So I am surprised and pleased with my results and good work." Gasparin was probably the most surprised athlete today. "My goal was top 10 or 15. A lot is possible in biathlon, but I never expected second place. This podium is more than I expected after a year of break." Unafraid She said shooting is the key to days like this. "My shooting was not good in the start of the season but now it is...I just want to have fun now at the shooting range and not be afraid to make a mistake." Wierer admitted that her shooting was not up to par for her. "I started good but two mistakes was too much...In the last standing, I tried to shot fast and zero and it did not work."