The 21-year-old from Salzburg only had to admit defeat to World Cup leader Jarl Magnus Riiber, probably by only 2.2 seconds thanks to the compact format. After the jumping, the ÖSV team took places two to six, but second-placed Johannes Lamparter canceled his start in cross-country skiing due to poor health.
After three third places this season in Ruka, Ramsau and on Saturday in the Allgäu, Stefan Rettenegger, who also did a lot of leadership work for Riiber, ended up in second place this time. “It was brutal. The group behind was so close and we had to push so hard. The Jarl didn’t want to help me at all because he said he was blue too, but in the end he wasn’t that blue “, Rettenegger probably revealed a tactical feint from Riiber.
“It’s going really great”
After the jump he was in fourth place behind Lamparter and brother Thomas, and following kilometer 1.6 he was only 8.5 seconds behind Riiber. At the intermediate times of 4.1, 5 and 6.6 kilometers the Pongauer was ahead. As expected, the Norsker was unable to bend during the sprint. “It’s my best World Cup result, but I would still have liked to have bent it today.”
In the overall World Cup standings, Rettenegger moved up to third place at the weekend, 45 points behind Lamparter, who was second. “I’m really very happy with the season so far, it’s going really well,” said the Salzburg player. By the way, leader Riiber is missing 245 points. The newcomer of the season justified the current jumping strength of the entire team with the good preparation. “We trained really well in the summer and did something different when it came to “strength training”. It’s cool for the whole team, and it’s a trait that affects the whole team.”
In the end, Martin Fritz and Thomas Rettenegger came in eighth and tenth, while Franz-Josef Rehrl fell from fifth to 14th place.
“The cycle has collapsed”
Defending World Cup champion Lamparter, who was second on Saturday, had to pass for the cross-country ski run. “I had a wisdom tooth pulled during the Christmas holidays and took an antibiotic. It showed me the limits yesterday, the circulation broke down. That’s why I don’t feel ready,” explained the overall World Cup runner-up and also second on Saturday. He will try to get fit once more quickly for Schonach.
On Saturday, Riiber (as second at one point) even prevented ÖSV from winning multiple times. In the end, the Norse man won ahead of four Austrians. Interesting detail: After the ban on fluorine in wax, the World Ski Association FIS tested a standard wax in Oberstdorf, probably with the aim of avoiding advantages for more financially powerful nations. All cross-country skis were prepared in a tent.
In the women’s event, Norwegian Ida Marie Hagen, who came third following jumping, clearly won in 14:33.9 minutes ahead of three compatriots. Lisa Hirner was sixth following jumping, but once more decided once morest cross-country skiing due to the following-effects of a gastrointestinal infection. Annalena Slamik was the only ÖSV athlete in the ranking in 21st place.
