Biathlon World Cup: Biathletes still without a medal: “Down to earth”

After the next missed chance to win a medal, Franziska Preuß found herself at the finish line exhausted and gasping for breath. Two sixth places for the Bavarian in the sprint and pursuit were the best German results at the Biathlon World Championships, but the hoped-for precious metal came to nothing in the first week in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic.

As was the case three years ago at the Pokljuka in Slovenia, the once successful women’s team came away empty-handed in the first races at a World Cup. One reason for this was that the skis were too poor compared to the competition.

“I don’t know whether I’m disappointed or not. It’s a strange feeling,” said Preuss, who traveled to the Czech Republic with high hopes as the best German ski hunter. Teammate Vanessa Voigt, who was unable to intervene in the fight at the front, was more clear: “I already know that I’ll turn off my cell phone in the hotel. You’re down to earth now.” In 15th place, the Thuringian was second best on her team in the hunting race on Sunday, but when Frenchwoman Julia Simon won again, she didn’t have the slightest chance, almost three minutes behind. Janina Hettich-Walz (25th) and Sophia Schneider (37th) were even weaker.

Voigt fights back tears

“The first feedback was relatively clear that the skis weren’t great again. We don’t need to beat around it,” said sports director Felix Bitterling and became even clearer: “Especially with the Franzi, it obviously hurts with the shooting performance and the condition, she is in. With good skis she can run up there.”

Preuss himself didn’t have a good feeling either. The 29-year-old was “basically satisfied,” but added: “But somehow you wish you could fight your way forward with just one mistake.” That didn’t work, instead she lost an additional 20 seconds to the top. Meanwhile, Simon (1 mistake) won her third gold in the third race and was already celebrating this coup after the last shooting. Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi (1) took silver and France’s Justine Braisaz-Bouchet (4) took bronze.

“It’s very hard. I really had to fight back tears. You work your ass off for a whole year and then something like that comes to a climax,” said Voigt. The Olympic fourth-place finisher refrained from criticizing the material too clearly in the individual, but said: “I don’t want to prejudge anything, but I think we need to talk about it.” This had already happened the day before, when the men were unable to keep up with the competition or even attack in the sprint because of the poorly or incorrectly prepared skis. Benedikt Doll was the best when Norwegian Sturla Holm Laegreid won on Saturday in 13th place. Apparently the problems on the track, which was softened by the rain, could not be solved.

Team wants to press the “reset button”.

Last year, the retired Denise Herrmann-Wick won gold in the sprint and silver in the pursuit at the home World Championships in Oberhof. Now the German Ski Association team is already under pressure before the women’s singles on Tuesday (5.10 p.m./ARD and Eurosport). “I just hope that things will go a little further forward,” said Preuss. At the start, the former world champion already had a medal in sight with the mixed relay, but after a penalty loop she only achieved fifth place.

“I’m just trying to let all the emotions out and then press the reset button. We have World Cup week one and then it’s all-out attack,” said Voigt, who spoke unusually openly. It’s not about blaming the material alone for Germany’s weak performance. “I definitely don’t want to say that,” the 26-year-old made it clear: “We have to take the conditions as they are, even if it is very, very difficult for the head.” The team will not admit defeat despite the bumpy start in the extremely loud World Cup arena in front of more than 25,000 spectators per day: “But it now takes even more energy.”