Two Oslo children celebrate their World Cup victory in the individual biathlon at Holmenkollen. After Landmark Tandrevold, Sturla Holm Laegreid also wins in the men’s category – and steals the show from Johannes Thingnes Bö. The German athletes are far behind, Benedikt Doll even experiences a debacle.
Sturla Holm Laegreid outsmarted Johannes Thingnes Bö at his home World Cup in Oslo. The 27-year-old clearly beat Bö, who only came fifth after two shooting errors (+1:14.9 minutes), in the individual over 20 kilometers, but overall individual victory can no longer be taken away from the three-time world champion from Nove Mesto. Second and third place went to two other Norwegians, Tarei Bö (+28.5 seconds/1 error) and Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen (+1.05.6 min/1).
In the early afternoon, local hero Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold had already won the women’s singles. Like Laegreid, the overall World Cup leader comes from Baerum, just a few kilometers west of Oslo, and like Bö, extended her lead in the fight for the big crystal ball to almost 100 points. Bö continues to march toward his fifth consecutive large crystal ball.
German team weakens – Kühn in the top 15
Two hours later the men went into the sodden trail at Holemkollen. The German athletes made too many mistakes to get ahead. After the first shooting, only Johannes Kühn was within striking distance of the podium, but he took himself out of the draw with two mistakes in the first standing.
Lars Becker, Sportschau, March 1st, 2024 5:16 p.m
In the end it was enough for twelfth place (+2:34.1 min). Justus Strelow (17th), Roman Rees (25th), Philipp Horn (29th) and Philipp Nawrath (32nd) crossed the finish line more than three minutes behind.
“Mentally very difficult”: Doll comes off the roll at the shooting range
At the start of his last World Cup weekend, Benedikt Doll made seven shooting errors and came 74th out of 93 starters. Doll announced last week that he would end his career at the end of the World Cup winter.
“I actually really like running individually. But today I wasn’t ready for the first shots”said the exhausted Doll after the race on ZDF: “I don’t know, mentally preparing for the race was very difficult. That’s how it happened in the competition. I hope that I’ll be more focused tomorrow and make fewer stupid mistakes.”