The men’s biathlon season started with a real bang. In the individual, the two Germans Roman Rees and Justus Strelow won ahead of top favorite Johannes Thingnes Bö from Norway.
The German biathletes celebrated a surprising double success in the first individual race of the season. Roman Rees won the 20-kilometer individual in Östersund on Sunday (November 26th, 2023) ahead of Justus Strelow. The two Germans relegated top favorite Johannes Thingnes Bö from Norway to third place.
Rees and Strelow – only one shooting error each
Rees and Strelow only incurred one minute penalty each in the race on the difficult track in Östersund. Rees left a target in the last standing position, Strelow in the first standing position.
This means that the two Germans were able to beat not only the Norwegians, who are used to success, but also other favorites such as the Swede Sebastian Samuelsson (7th/3 penalty minutes/+40.4 seconds) or the French Emilien Jacquelin (27th/4th/+2.34, 3 minutes) to keep it in check.
First win for Rees – first podium for Strelow
The 30-year-old Rees celebrated the first World Cup victory of his career in 51:27.2 minutes. His best result to date was two third places in 2019 and 2022. The 26-year-old Strelow was 12.1 seconds slower and finished second in his 36th World Cup race for the first podium finish of his career. His best placement to date was eighth place in the mass start in Ruhpolding at the beginning of 2023.
Gust 25 seconds slower than Rees
Top favorite and overall World Cup winner Johannes Thingnes Bö only finished third after two shooting errors after the first two shooting sessions. This time, the strong-running Bö only had the third-best running time in the classification (behind Samuelsson and compatriot Johannes Dale-Skjevdal) – and had to admit defeat to day’s winner Rees at the finish by 25.0 seconds.
The beaten Bö, who still achieved his 23rd podium finish in a row, said in the Sportschau after the race: “Surprise. What a perfect race for Roman. Double victory for Germany” and congratulated Rees: “I tried my best and accelerated again in the last lap. But I thought, what a strong guy. Chapeau, I take my hat off.”
Rees: “It feels really good”
Rees cheered on the sports show microphone: “Incredible. I wasn’t sure for so long, I thought to myself that someone else would definitely come. It’s slowly becoming more and more real, it just feels really good.” Strelow said: “I’m happy that it worked out for the podium. Of course I’d like to give Roman the win. I was number one at the finish, but I was sure that the Norwegians or someone else would overtake me. I didn’t expect that enough for such a good placement.”
Benedikt Doll also had a strong race. The Black Forester, who had to cancel the mixed relays on Saturday due to an infection, came ninth (+ 55.6 seconds). After one mistake each in the first prone and standing position, Doll already fell to 36th place, but with two error-free final stages the 33-year-old fought his way into the top 10.
Doll: “Stupid mistake”
“It’s not optimal in my neck yet, but physically I was in top shape, so nothing stood in the way of starting today. I’m very happy”said Doll after the race in the sports show and about his performance: “In the first prone stage, that was a really stupid mistake, shooting so quickly upwards. Standing also missed just above. Two unnecessary errors, given the shooting level today there were definitely four zeros. It’s a shame, but at least two Germans got it Grabbed seats at the front.”
The other three German starters missed the top 15. Johannes Kühn was 17th with two penalty minutes (+ 1:50.1 minutes), Philipp Nawrath was 29th with four shooting errors (+ 2:41.4 minutes). David Zobel came 43rd with four penalty minutes (+ 3.58.4 minutes).