The tobogganer Max Langenhan holds up the German flag in third place in Sigulda. But an Austrian is currently far ahead of him.
Germany’s toboggan men continue to fight to join the world elite. After the brilliant start to the season in Lillehammer, where the German lugers shone across the entire team with five wins and eight podium places, the previous riders Max Langenhan and Felix Loch and their colleagues are now a bit disappointed.
On Sunday (January 5th, 2024), the strongest two Germans had to admit defeat to an Austrian again in Sigulda, Latvia. Nico Gleirscher won by almost two tenths of a second, well ahead of local hero Kristers Aparjods and Max Langenhan, who finished third. Loch finished fifth – after a small slide right after the start.
Austrians again fastest in Sigulda
Already in the first round the first ranks were bathed in red-white-red: the Austrian Nico Gleirscher ahead of the Latvian Kristers Aparjods and Jonas Müller from Austria. Only then did Max Langenhan and Felix Loch follow. Müller then made a serious mistake in the second round and was passed through. Timon Grancagnolo (Chemnitz) and David Nößler (Schmalkalden) took 14th and 15th place in Latvia.
Langenhan is back in the fight for the overall World Cup
At the last World Cup in Oberhof, Loch was only the fifth best German in an Austrian quadruple success. Langenhan, in turn, described the performance in his own “living room” as “absolutely bad”. His national coach Patric Leitner said: “We generally can’t be dissatisfied with the placements, but the top placements are missing.”
Gleirscher took the overall World Cup lead ahead of Müller and Wolfgang Kindl. Now Langenhan was at least back in the fight for the crystal ball – and snorted Müller and Kindl again. The leader Gleirscher, however, continued to expand his lead after winning in Sigulda.