BIATHLON: Norwegian legend Ole Einar Bjoerndalen has narrowly missed out on an outright winter Games medals record when he finished in an agonising fourth place in the biathlon pursuit.

France took its first gold of the Sochi 2014 Olympics in the 12.5km pursuit, with Martin Fourcade putting together a stunning race to triumph on Monday. But the main focus was always on the diminutive Norwegian powerhouse.

Bjoerndalen, 40, started the race equal with Norwegian cross country 12.5km ski great Bjoern Daehlie on the all-time record of 12 medals won for the Winter Olympics.

But despite showing great ski speed, Bjoerndalen missed targets in the second prone and both standing shootings to come in fourth in 34min 14.5sec, just 1.7sec behind France's Jean Guillaume Beatrix in third.

True to his maxim of never giving up, Bjoerndalen attacked Beatrix throughout the final lap at the Laura biathlon centre and would have likely passed him if the track were 50 metres longer.

Bjoerndalen sprayed wide his final shot in the final standing shooting, forcing him into a penalty loop that effectively ended his chances of medalling.

"I think I had the chance to win. When I missed the shot, I knew that was the end for me. I was not strong enough on the shooting," he said.

Bjoerndalen still has plenty more chances to surpass Daehlie's record and hold the status of the greatest ever winter Olympian on his own.

He should race in the men's individual on Thursday followed by the mass start on Sunday. The week after, come the mixed relay and the men's relay.

Bjoerndalen said he was in good spirits and - in bad news for his rivals - said he would learn from his shooting mistakes in the next race.

"I was impatient at the last shooting. I made three mistakes, but I stayed calm about it because next time I'll do better," he said.

He shrugged off the disappointment of finishing fourth: "I was fighting and that was most important."

Fourcade, who took his first gold to add to his silver in the mass start at Vancouver in 2010, dominated the race from the mid-stage and even had the time to clench his first in triumph after a clear final shooting.

He finished in 33min 48.6sec, 14.1sec ahead of Ondrej Moravec of the Czech Republic who came in second for silver and was the only medallist to shoot entirely clear.

Fourcade, 25, has now finally converted the talent that has brought him five world titles into Olympic gold.

All the medallists coped well with the technical challenge of a vicious corner after a quick downhill which dispensed with several skiers, including early leader Jean-Philippe le Guellec who fell flat on his face.