Image: APA/Georg Hochmuth
After his tenth win in a row on Sunday in Otepää, the Norwegian can no longer be pushed off the top of the individual rankings with four races to go. For Riiber, it is the fifth major crystal ball after 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. In Estonia, the 26-year-old triumphed superiorly ahead of Salzburg’s Stefan Rettenegger, who is also still second in the World Cup.
Riiber underlined his dominance with the 71st World Cup victory of his career, the 14th in the 21st race of the season. “I’m just on a wave,” said the exceptional athlete, who also won three victories in Otepää after the Seefeld triple.
The eight-time world champion had already taken the lead after jumping and jumping to 103 meters. Stefan Rettenegger came in second, 22 seconds behind, after ten kilometers of cross-country skiing it was 39.8. However, the 22-year-old left the German David Mach and local hero Kristjan Ilves standing on the final lap and took his eighth podium place of the season. His brother Thomas Rettenegger came fifth, 1:15.3 minutes behind. Johannes Lamparter and Lukas Greiderer didn’t get past places 13 and 14.
Last year, Lamparter ended Riiber’s hegemony in the overall World Cup. The Norwegian had to take a long break due to health problems, but this season he was mostly in top shape. “I knew that it was possible today to take the final step towards the overall World Cup,” explained Riiber. “I have so many people behind me, it’s a big team success.”
In the women’s event, Ida Marie Hagen led a Norwegian triple victory. The 23-year-old overtook her compatriot Mari Leinan Lund, who was leading after the jump, on the home straight. Hagen can therefore be crowned overall winner for the first time in the next women’s race at Holmenkollen at the beginning of March. The Styrian Lisa Hirner improved from eleventh place on the cross-country ski trail to ninth place, more than two minutes behind. Tyrol’s Annalena Slamik came eleventh, Salzburg’s Claudia Purker achieved her best World Cup result to date in 13th.
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