Norway’s successful coach Siegfried Mazet believes in the strength of the German biathletes despite the somewhat disappointing medal haul at the World Cup so far.
“They have the resources and they will come back, I’m sure of that,” the 46-year-old Frenchman told the German Press Agency.
After the strong World Cup season so far, the Norwegian record world champion Ole Einar Björndalen, among others, saw the German ski hunters as the biggest challengers to his compatriots at the World Championships in Nove Mesto. But while the Scandinavians won eight of nine possible medals in the men’s individual races, only Benedikt Doll was the only non-Norwegian to make it onto the podium in third place in the individual race.
The material in particular is causing problems for the German technical team given the exceptionally high temperatures in the Czech Republic. “What we see here is Formula 1. The technicians make the big difference. The Germans challenge us as best they can. But if you’re a little behind, nothing forgives you here,” said Mazet.
“Today it’s more complicated”
When the DSV ski hunters won two victories and two second places in cold conditions at the season opener in Östersund, people in the Norwegian camp would have asked themselves, “What’s going on here? It’s no longer like it used to be with fluorine wax, where you get it from could compensate one day to the next, today it’s more complicated,” said the Frenchman.
Mazet doesn’t see that the extreme dominance of his team could cause boredom, as Björndalen feared. “What should we do, the question has to be asked to the others. We know that the greatest emperor will be overthrown at some point. Maybe Germany or France will take over at some point,” said Mazet.
Unlike Björndalen, two-time Olympic champion Uschi Disl (53) sees no problem with this. “We also had phases in the German team when we were super dominant. That’s the way it is in sport and I don’t think it’s a permanent situation. There will be others who will win,” said the eight-time world champion.