The German biathletes clearly missed the hoped -for podium in the season of Antholz.
Justus Strelow, Philipp Horn, Johannes Kühn and David Zobel came to seventh after 4×7.5 kilometers, a penalty round and ten after -loaders were too much in combination with a modest mileage. More than two minutes were missing on the podium. France also won with four relays in the fourth season of winter in front of Norway (0 penalty rounds+12 aftermath/+43.6 seconds) and Sweden (1+8/+44.0).
“Not ideal,” said Kühn on “ZDF” – and complained of material problems: “I was overtaken on the left and right in every descent. You can’t do much.”
Strelow shoots well, but …
Strelow played his usual shooting quality in the starting position with just one ward, but had a hole of 31 seconds at 1600 meters of altitude at the final round. Horn with three extras and the flawless bold kept in contact with the podium, but noble Zobel had no chance not only because of his penalty round.
Philipp Nawrath, planned as the final runner, was at short notice. “He didn’t feel 100 percent in the sprint, overnight he has a slight cough overnight, of which we do not yet know in which direction this is developing,” said sports director Felix Bitterling the measure. Before their third place from Ruhpolding, the German men had run past the podium in the seasons of Contiolahti and Hochfilzen as fourth and fifth.
World Cup general rehearsal on Sunday
In the last race in front of the World Cup, the persecution will be followed on Sunday (2:45 p.m./ZDF and Eurosport) – but with an unfavorable starting position. Horn starts as the best in eleven position with 39 seconds behind. In the sprint, the DSV sextet had left 18 slices, and did not remain error-free in twelve shooting deposits. “We have to get this topic under control,” said Bitterling.
Whether Nawrath will start again will only decide on Sunday morning. After the hunting race, a large part of the team will remain in the Antholzer Höhe and will complete the final course of the World Cup preparation. The season highlight will take place in Lenzerheide from February 12th to 23rd.