Andrew Young says he is already plotting his route back to the cross-country podium next season after being upgraded to bronze at the World Cup Finals.
The British star was marked fourth in the 15km pursuit in Quebec, behind American Simeon Hamilton but GB Snowsport appealed on the grounds Young crossed the line first.
And the FIS Appeals Commission upheld the appeal, giving Young his second career medal and his first since a sprint bronze in Italy in December 2015.
The result is Young’s best finish in distance races and the fifth podium by a British cross-country skier.
“When you get a good result before Christmas, sometimes that’s forgotten if you don’t finish off the season well but to get a top three at World Cup Finals, it definitely gives you a bit more motivation and I’m already thinking of things we can do once the first of May comes around and we’re back at it,” he said.
Hamilton started the race in the same wave as Young but crossed the line behind him and GB Snowsport performance director Dan Hunt insists the medal is well-deserved.
“By their own admission, FIS indicated in their decision that there is some confusion in the rules as to how the result was originally calculated,” he said.
“Importantly, there’s mechanisms in place to try and get the result corrected and we’re pleased that the Appeals Commission saw it the same way we did.
“It doesn’t give Andrew that podium moment back but the recognition of him earning a top-three place at a World Cup is ultimately what the appeal was all about and we achieved what we set out to do.”
Sportsbeat 2019