World Cup: Nothing to get: German biathletes just don’t meet

Justus Strelow looked at the scoreboard a bit and was therefore symbolically for the German biathletes. The women around the World Cup-leading Franziska Preuss and Selina Grotian drive in series, but there was nothing to get for the DSV men three weeks before the World Cup. Not a single of the sextet came through in the sprint from Antholz without a penalty round.

Philipp Horn, as an eleventh after the last disappointing performance, ensured an exclamation mark, at least on a runout. But two penalty rounds cost him an even better placement in the victory of the Norwegian Tarjei Bö and illustrated the problem of the protégés of national coach Uros Velepec: they are not a world class at the shooting range. One day after Grotian’s double podium (2nd) and Preuss (3rd), a total of 18 misconceptions were in German statistics.

In the meantime, the 36 -year -old Bö announced his career end after the end of the season on ZDF after his brother Johannes Thingnes Bö. This loses the sport of two of its absolute figureheads. “This is the perfect day for it,” said Tarjei Bö visibly moved.

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Horn meanwhile delivered the four -fastest term. “This is absolutely terrific that running was outstanding. When I meet, I am able to run in at the front,” said the 30-year-old and added: “There was so much more in it.” Lying down, he left a slice that it was an “absolute shooting error”. “And standing the last shot shouldn’t happen. I was already on the track with my head.”

He now hopes to cut better in the persecution on Sunday, but it will be shot four times. In the season on Saturday it will also be shown whether things are going better together in the team. Philipp Nawrath made it after two penalty rounds as the second German at least in the top 20. Johannes Kühn was 40th, Strelow landed in 49th and David Zobel finished 54th. After six mistakes, Simon Kaiser missed the hunting race.

Three weeks before the highlight of the season from February 12th to 23rd in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, a World Cup medal in the individual races would be a surprise for the DSV men if shooting does not finally get better. “You need a sense of achievement to be able to believe in yourself again,” said double Olympic champion and ZDF expert Laura Dahlmeier. So far there have been two seasonal platforms.

Germans at the shooting range no world class

The problem with shooting is already going through the whole season. It is always a mistake too much. Most of the time, even two or three slices remain, so that no top results against the absolute world elite are possible. “It is always the same song. We shoot too many mistakes and also too early. You are under pressure immediately and then it will be very difficult,” said sports director Felix Bitterling.

This time, Strelow, the best shooters of the pre -season, also caught it. “Shooting was not the yellow of the egg today. The height has been very difficult for me. But that shouldn’t be an excuse,” said the 28-year-old after a total of three mistakes. With a view to the World Cup, it stays relaxed. “I didn’t shoot a race so well now. To say that I can no longer shoot, it would be wrong.”

Meanwhile, Grotian and Preuss hope for the next top ratings after their success in the sprint. The second goes to Grotian for seven seconds behind sprint winner Lou JeanMonnot, Prussia is 17 seconds behind the French.