After six new start times and a two-day delay, the men's 15km mass start seemed to never be in sight. But then the finish, a photo finish, was at the centre of all our stares.
Pushed back to Tuesday afternoon and then 15 minutes later that same afternoon as fog pressed in around the course and a few flakes turned into heavy snow, the mass start drew together the best 30 biathletes in the world.
Martin Fourcade woke up sick but was looking for his third gold medal at Sochi. The Russian men wanted their first taste of the podium to wash themselves of defeat at home. The powerhouse Norwegians expected more of themselves and their elder statesman was driven to become the most decorated winter Olympian ever with 13 medals.
The pack remained tight until the first prone shooting. About eight different racers led the way at one point, including the Norwegians who front-loaded them all with Emil Hegle Svendsen, Johannes Thinges Boe and Ole Einar Bjoerndalen skating as the top three. (I did not have to Google their names. This is how far my biathlon education has come.)
Czech competitor Ondrej Moravec and Canadian Jean-Phillippe Le Guellec made spread the gap along with Fourcade, Bjoerndalen and Svendsen. But as every biathlete will tell you, it's biathlon. Anything can happen.
Svendsen, Fourcade and Moravec shot clean on the final standing test at the firing range and put more distance between them and their pursuers.
Svendsen tucked himself behind the Moravec and drafted in his wake. He appeared to touch and tug the Czech's pole. Moravec dropped back to third but after he made his move to take back the lead, could not keep pace with the two world champions from France and Norway.
Svendsen now tucked behind Fourcade (who was later seen throwing up behind the finish line) and waited to make his move.
Are you a strategic genius, a clever and patient tactician who saves his energy and bides his time? Are you the better racer, deserving of the win because you're strong and smart? Or are you a bad sport, the selfish racer who sucks the energy of his opponents, appears to play a petty game and not share in the work? Is this an athlete who enlivens or alienates fans?
On paper, crossing the finish line first means you're not a loser.
Svendsen waited until the final turn in front of the fans who had returned over two days to see this race and its exhilarating finish. He took an outside line and outstepped Fourcade as if he were standing still.
He powered down the final sprint and put nearly three metres between himself and Fourcade.
Afterwards, he said he'd been saving his energy for this very moment. He also said he's an asshole when he loses.
But the Frenchman wasn't accepting silver. He too surged forward.
Svendsen began to slow down and before he reached the finish, lifted his arms and began to celebrate.
The two-time Sochi Games champion drew even with Svendsen and thrust out his ski in an attempt to reach the line first and tell the Norwegian his party was pre-mature.
In a flash, it was over.
Fourcade's name appeared as No. 1 but then disappeared almost as quickly. The timekeepers at Omega secured Svendsen his victory and with their photo of the finish, captured his arms overhead as he nearly forfeited gold so he could goad.
