Anton Shipulin

© EPA/HEIKO JUNGE

MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. Man’s Russian national team on biathlon became third in the standings of the Nations Cup of the season 2016/17, could fight for first place in the ranking. This opinion TASS expressed two-time Olympic champion Anatoly Alyabyev.

The sprint, held on Friday in the final of the world Cup in Norwegian Holmenkollen, was the last race, reaching the Cup of Nations. According to the results of the start of the Russian Anton Shipulin finished third. Won the Norwegian Johannes boe, second was Martin Fourcade of France.

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Shipulin was third in the sprint at the stage of the biathlon world Cup in Norway

The winner of the Cup of Nations was the team of Germany (7448 points), second place team France (7416), the Russians occupied the third place (7192).

“Of course, this third place is a kind of consolation prize for the Russian team, said Alyabyev . But in General Russian team should always fight for first and second places is the level of the national team of Russia and the following fall it should not. Such a goal should be put as the athletes and to the coaching staff of Russian national team, we deserve better. Sorry, guys prevent all the failures that they do in the course of the season.”

“In addition, two medals at the world championship this year is also something so mean – said the expert. – Russia has a very strong relay team, from the Soviet era in our biathlon there is a tradition that in the relay we play very well. There have been disruptions in recent years – somewhere near, but could not. However, for the Olympic games Russian athletes should fit properly”.

The final world Cup of the season 2016/17 will be completed on March 19.