The weak German team now has to do without the battered Philipp Nawrath.
On Wednesday, the individual for the biathletes is over 20 kilometers (from 3 p.m. in the live stream and ticker). The World Cup general rehearsal last season in Lenzerheide had been completely successful: Benedikt Doll had annoyed the Norwegian dominators and stormed to victory, Philipp Nawrath had finished third, Philipp Horn in fourth place.
This year there is a completely different picture: one of the three is one. Horn can fight for a medal on Wednesday, while Doll has said goodbye to the biathlete pension and the only German hopeful, Philipp Nawrath, will not start.
David Zobel moves after
The DSV announced on Monday that Nawrath was struck “And not yet at its 100 percent“As sports director Felix Bitterling said. The fact that Nawrath is not up to date also showed his performance at the persecution race: on Sunday he had only 44th place with seven penalty rounds.
Nawraths Square will take David Zobel, who is going to Switzerland and should take part in the official training on Tuesday. The 28-year-old hadn’t actually qualified for the World Cup through his achievements in the World Cup.
Shooting problems due to mental problems?
In addition to Zobel, Philipp Horn, Danilo Riethmüller and Johannes Kühn will occupy the four DSV sports places on Wednesday. Justus Strelow is probably spared with a view to the greater medal chance in single mixed on Thursday.
But even the athletes who will be there are not exactly part of the favorite group in the Biathlon Arena Lenzerheide. The shooting is particularly difficult for German men this season. Trainer Jens Filbrich justified the mauen services at the shooting range with a “Problem between the ears”so with mental difficulties.
“The training services are usually good and there is a hit”said Filbrich in the run -up to the World Cup: “But when the race comes”then the nerves would thwart the athletes.
Only two Podium placements single
In the individual races, only Philipp Nawrath and Danilo Riethmüller made it onto the podium before the World Cup, the triumph at the top of the podium was still out of Benedikt Doll in the current season.
The debacle at the home World Cups in Ruhpolding and Oberhof continued at the beginning of the World Cup: Philipp Horn became the 17th best German during the persecution. Justus Strelow was 31st after three mistakes, Danilo Riethmüller even made eight mistakes and ended the race in 50th place.
“Cunk from front to back”found Riethmüller his persecution race. After such setbacks, you build up each other again. “But in the end it is still my own mistakes and my own stupidity”said Riethmüller: “You can tell you well, but you still make your allegations.”
Quiet through Prussia success
“This is out of the question, the boys know that”said sports director Felix Bitterling. While the men disappointed, Franziska Preuss brought her success to the team. “We will put Franzi and the men in a room, get out of it and then let’s see if that helps”said sports director Felix Bitterling on ZDF in joke.
Of course, this would not solve any problems. The official added a little more serious with a view to the second World Cup week: “The races all start from zero.”
Last German gold medal by Arnd Peiffer
Nevertheless, the men threatens even worse World Cup than in the previous year. In Nove Mesto, only Doll had bronze in singles, the season had ended fourth. Arnd Peiffer won the last German gold to date.
“We may not have the superstar at the moment who clears everything in the individual races, but we are a very homogeneous team”said Horn, who relies on the season on Saturday: “If we bring all of our performance, we have the chance to run in there.”