In modern biathlon, nothing can be achieved at the shooting range with “German precision”. The German ski hunters should therefore shoot faster and take more risks under head coach Uros Velepec. Of all people, veteran Benedikt Doll was involved in the implementation at the home World Cup in Ruhpolding “forgot to meet”.
In biathlon, the race is almost always decided at the shooting range. The DSV team was close at the home World Cup in Ruhpolding, but made too many mistakes at the crucial moment. In order to get past the dominant Norwegians, the German ski hunters have to fall faster and faster.
Velepec: Shoot faster and take risks for the podium
The new head coach Uros Velepec also demands this from his ski hunters. Already in the preseason, work was done to ensure that the athletes fired shots quickly and with more risk. From Velepec’s point of view, this change was also necessary because the German shooting school that had been running for years with “German precision” is no longer up to date: “This is not modern biathlon“You could do that if”you are happy with tenth or 15th place. These are still top results among the competition. But for the podium you have to shoot faster and take risks“.
Velepec started the change as Mark Kirchner’s assistant coach, but it wasn’t always good. Since last May, with him as boss, we have been working more and more intensively to ensure that controlled risk shooting has become somewhat better. “But we are not yet where we want to be. Everything has to fall into place between now and the Olympic Games“Velepec said, referring to the races at the Antholz Winter Games in 2026.
Allow yourself to be pushed into rapid shooting
Even Benedikt Doll is not yet consistently where the journey is supposed to go. Although the veteran had a “stable, good shooting performance” Before what was probably his last season, but after recent strong performances and the sprint successes in Lenzerheide and Oberhof, he wobbled at the home World Cup in Ruhpolding.
The 33-year-old had suffered two penalties while leading the relay as the third runner and thus missed the chance of his first home win since 2006. “I allowed myself to be pushed into rapid shooting.” The former world champion could do that “Better. The others have proven that they can do it very well.” He has “I focused on the fast rhythm and forgot to hit. The shooting wasn’t clever enough“, said Doll self-critically.
Spoiled for success: Doll doesn’t want to drive herself crazy
After Ruhpolding’s still strong second place in the season, he wanted to put the negative experience behind him. But things didn’t go as planned in the sprint either. “I can’t fully explain the first error. There were a lot of missed shots under these conditions“, said the 33-year-old, who had to settle for 19th place after two penalty laps. The Black Forester was also off the mark in the pursuit and had to run 750 extra meters after five mistakes.
“He had a good feeling,” but standing at the first shooting “the timing wasn’t right at all,” he said on the ARD microphone. Doll now wants to stay away from the weapon until the World Cup dress rehearsal in Antholz. And then “with new motivation and new desire to shoot“Approach the task. You’re also a little spoiled for success, he admitted. Even though the overall package wasn’t right, Doll doesn’t want to drive himself crazy because of it.
There are no worry lines to be seen yet
In the end, after Hochfilzen, there was no individual podium for the German ski hunters at a station for the second time. At least that didn’t leave any worry lines, even if Doll and Philipp Nawrath had to take small setbacks, Justus Strelow remained close to the world leaders with ninth and sixth place. “You always have to put into perspective where we came from“, said DSV sports director Felix Bitterling: “The development is positive, you have to take it step by step. We are able to deliver world-class performances in every competition“The team is fighting”a bit” with confirming these “the day after“. This could “only come through constant repetition and routine“.
Source: mla/sid/dpa