The German biathletes had a lot to celebrate this winter, despite some health setbacks. The World Cup in Nove Mesto should now be the brilliant highlight.
The best biathletes will disappear from the scene for the next 14 days. It’s the World Cup break. The ski hunters should recharge their batteries for the Biathlon World Championships starting on February 7th in Nove Mesto. After difficult years, the German biathletes are traveling to the World Cup this time with a lot of self-confidence.
Despite corona infections and gastrointestinal viruses, which repeatedly forced the athletes to take breaks, the DSV athletes can look back on a strong season. There are five victories this season, as well as 13 individual podium finishes and seven times in the top 3 in the relays.
“We really have a lot of tailwind and have grown as a team“, said sports director Felix Bitterling. After two thirds of the season, his team has already achieved more podium places and victories than in the entire previous winter.
Preuß delivers reliably
Franziska Preuß is particularly convincing after her canceled last season. The 29-year-old has achieved three podium places so far and has finished in the top ten in all eleven starts. However, she had to take a break from the last World Cup before the World Cup due to a gastrointestinal virus. There is still enough time to get fit again before the start of the competitions in Nove Mesto.
Preuß also has fond memories of the World Cup venue in the Czech Republic; in the past four years she has always finished in the top five there.
Voigt celebrates his first World Cup victory in single mixed
Just in time for the World Championships, Vanessa Voigt is also in top form; in the last individual races she made it to fourth place twice, as well as her first victory in the single mixed with Justus Strelow in Antholz. “That makes me really positive. I was able to implement it well and can carry momentum” said the Thuringian after the last races before the World Cup.
ARD expert Arnd Peiffer also has a lot of confidence in the German women at the World Cup if their shooting performance is right: “In the end it will be a little more exciting to see who will be in front, because I have confidence in everyone, but of course it will all come down to the shooting range in the end.“
Three podiums for Nawrath
Among the men, Philipp Nawrath was particularly impressive at the beginning of the season and achieved three individual podiums. In the last few races the form curve, at least as far as the placings were concerned, showed a bit of a downward trend. The Allgäu native is still traveling to the World Cup confidently: “The tactical approach becomes really exciting again, how do you go into a race like this. If you can do something like this in a sophisticated way on site and then don’t go into such races too euphorically, then I can certainly deliver well again.“
Doll puts the rifle aside for now
The two-time season winner Benedikt Doll has become something of a problem child since his triumph in Oberhof. In the last five individual races he made 22 shooting errors, plus penalties in two relays. Before his last major event, the 33-year-old wants to put his rifle away for a few days and recharge his batteries with his family. Felix Bitterling is very confident that Doll will be back in shape for the World Cup: “Benni has been there for so long, he has been through so many ups and downs, he will do it again this time.“
Arnd Peiffer sees the German biathlon men still having a lot of work to do on the shooting range before the big event: “The shooting has to be right, otherwise you have no chance in the field against the strong Norwegians, who are not only fast, but also shoot well.”
Short break before the big highlight of the season
After the World Cup in Antholz, the biathletes now have a few days to relax at home. At the end of January, the majority of people gather for the final training course in Ridnaun to work on the last small construction sites before heading to Nove Mesto. Peiffer is particularly happy there “on this cauldron (…) the audience there is fantastic.“This should also give the German biathletes extra motivation in their hunt for medals.