Unbelievable! The German men’s relay sensationally won bronze at the World Championships in Planica.
One day after the silver medal for the German women’s relay, the men followed suit and caused a sensation: Albert Kuchler, Janosch Brugger, Jonas Dobler and Friedrich Moch won bronze in the 4 x 10 km relay race on Friday (March 3rd, 2023).
Gold was secured by subscription world champion Norway. Hans Christer Holund, Pal Golberg, Simen Hegstad Krüger and Johannes Hoesflot Kläbo outclassed the competition. Finland also ran lonely to silver (+ 46 seconds).
Rocket in the Surprise Egg was a sign
Behind them, the fight for bronze raged until the last kilometer, which Friedrich Moch won and gave Germany its first relay medal since 2009. Dobler, who only put Germany back on course for a medal, had a huge share of bronze, Friedrich brought bronze coolly to the finish.
“The rocket in the surprise egg was a sign,” laughed national coach Peter Schlickenrieder, who was given the lucky charm before the race. Schlickenrieder was happy for the whole team: “Everyone did a great job.”
Can’t beat Norway
Gold was practically awarded to Norway before the starting gun was fired. Team Norge is the clear number one in men’s cross-country skiing, has won all cross-country titles in Slovenia and is undefeated at world championships in the relay since 2001.
In Planica, the high-flyers left no doubts from the first kilometer and already outclassed the competition without a chance on the first kilometer. Starting runner Holund immediately tore a gap, the other nations could not and did not want to follow.
Schlickenrieder’s plan works
While Norway went lonely to gold and could consider the penultimate World Championship race as better training, the German team toyed with a place on the podium. The favorites were certainly different, but optimist Schlickenrieder had breathed a lot of self-confidence into his boys and hoped that anchor Friedrich Moch would still have contact with a medal place.
Kuchler with a strong World Cup relay debut
The plan worked. Start runner Albert Kuchler made a strong World Championship debut, fought bravely in the large group of pursuers, used the slipstream and struggled with fast skis but a missing impression on the mountain over his ten-kilometer lap. He sent his teammate Janos Brugger along with seven other nations in ninth place and then confessed in the first: “I was pretty excited, I’m glad it went so well and I hope we stay in the medal race.”
Brugger loses sight of Bronze
The hope of sensational silver or bronze melted when Brugger couldn’t keep up with the high speed on his lap. While the Finn Ivo Niskanen set off alone in the hopeless pursuit of Norway, France, Sweden, Switzerland and Canada fought for third place. Germany temporarily dropped out of the medal fight because Brugger had to give up and finished seventh, 1:21.1 minutes behind Norway, but also 20 seconds behind the group around France.
Dobler keeps relay in the race
Jonas Dobler now needed very fast legs – and he had them. The Bavarian actually closed the gap in the free technique and after 25 kilometers the German team was back in the raffle for bronze. In contrast, Switzerland said goodbye to this fight. The quintet of pursuers turned into a four-way battle for bronze. “Our goal was to be there with the music down to the last runner. We succeeded.”said Dobler, who risked everything and kept Germany in the race for the medals.
Moch sprints to bronze
Final runner Moch, currently the strongest German runner, went on the hunt for bronze together with Canada, France and Sweden. Among other things, the 22-year-old had to deal with the Swedish cross-country star Dispute Calle Halfvarsson (33). Moch tactically and attacked two kilometers before the finish. Together with the Frenchman, the top talent pulled away from the Swede. A gap quickly opened up that Halfvarsson was unable to close. On the home straight, Moch sprinted up and away, causing his teammates to cry with joy.
“A dream came true”, said Frederick happily. And how is it celebrated? “We don’t know that yet. We all have no experience with medals at major events. We’ll get tips from the girls,” beamed Dobler, whose career end was always in the room. Schlickenrieder hopes that the veteran will reconsider: “Without him we wouldn’t have won a bronze medal today.”
Last relay podium 2009
The last relay medal at a major event was at the 2009 World Championships. At that time, Messrs. Tobias Angerer and Axel Teichmann were still active.