The German biathletes clearly missed out on another podium place in the last race before the World Championships.
At the end of the World Cup in Antholz, Justus Strelow came in ninth place as the German Ski Association’s best athlete in the mass start, missing the podium by 45 seconds after 15 kilometers one day after his success in the single mixed.
The men are traveling to Nove Mesto with a record of eight individual and four relay podiums.
Despite a penalty, Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen confidently celebrated his second win of the season and led a Norwegian triple success. Behind him, Johannes Dale-Skjevdal (2 penalties/+10.7 seconds) crossed the finish line ahead of Vebjörn Sörum (1/+14.0).
Philipp Nawrath (4/+1:07.2) was the second best German in 13th place, closely followed by Roman Rees (2/+1:09.7), Benedikt Doll (4/+1:10.5) and Johannes Kühn (4/+1:13.8) on ranks 15 to 17.
Danilo Riethmüller (4/+1:57.3) landed in 24th position three days after his seventh place on his debut.
After completing the second trimester, the German biathletes are now heading home to recover. At the end of January we go to the final training camp in Ridnaun, Italy, before things get really serious from February 7th at the World Cup in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic.
The final German squad is expected to be announced in the coming days; eight men alone have met the association’s internal standard.