There is a change of coach in the German biathlon team shortly before the end of the season. TV expert Michael Rösch speaks of a “moderate earthquake”.
Uros Velepec clears his position as head coach of the German biathlon men. Tobias Reiter takes over the successor of the Slovenia. The German Ski Association (DSV) confirmed this staff punch on Tuesday afternoon.
“The time is blatant. Immediately after the World Cup, with three outstanding World Cups. That is already sporty,” commented Michael Rösch, the Rochade to “Eurosport”.
The 2006 relay Olympic champion said: “If you are a bit in the biathlon, that’s a moderate earthquake.”
In the current biathlon season there are still three World Cup stations on the program: Nove Mesto (March 6th to 9th), Pokljuka (13th to 16th March) and Oslo (March 21 to 23).
New impulse for German biathlon stars?
Reiter, who recently trained the German men in the IBU Cup, faces a major challenge.
The 39-year-old had “looked after most of our athletes in the course of their career and, together with Jens Filbrich, formed a successful team of coaches in the IBU Cup. Therefore there should be a smooth transition, which hopefully releases positive energies again with the entire team” , said biathlon sports director Felix Bitterling in a DSV announcement.
Velepec did not take up the office as head coach until 2023. “With enough time, we would certainly be able to get out of this currently difficult situation in which we are currently located,” the 57-year-old explained his decision.
As head coach, however, he sees himself “also in the short and medium term. That is why I came to the conviction that a new impulse is now needed, perhaps also a new form of addressing to successfully look at the 2026 Olympics be better.
The German biathletes had missed a single medal at the past world championship in Lenzerheide. The bronze medal in the relay is supposed to give hope for the rest of the winter.