myA clearing storm would probably be the last thing organizers would do. Biathlon world championship It is needed in Nove Mesto now. Although the rain finally let up on Monday afternoon, work began on the route, which had to be filled with more snow from the inexhaustible reservoir after a completely rainy Sunday.
Whether in the team accommodation of the German Ski Federation (DSV) in the small town of Tri Studne (Three Springs) is not known. Sports director Felix Bitterling announced on Sunday evening that everything should be turned upside down. He wanted to keep the inside information to himself for the next day.
He already said that after the first week of the World Cup, which ended without a medal for the Germans, there was a big discussion with everyone involved: coaches, athletes and ski technicians: “Everyone was able to say what worried them, what Maybe has a “A little bit of fear for the next few days. That was very good and very open.”
“Five times in no man's land”
There was a lot to talk about after the first five competitions in the Czech Republic, in which DSV only achieved fifth place in the mixed relay and two sixth places. Franziska Preuss I had jumped. The skis did not turn out as expected and on the shooting range, especially the men lost their chances of getting better positions. Vanessa Voigt felt like she had “hit the ground” after finishing 18th in the sprint and 15th in the pursuit.
Johannes Kuhn “His legs hurt” after the chase after he “had stumbled under the bridge in no man's land only five times.” Thinking about the next individual race, she said: “I hope to recover by Wednesday, because I have to go up there five times.” Expectations sound different.
It is now important “for everyone to hit the reset button and for everyone to trust each other,” Bitterling emphasized. “That's the only way we can do it.” It didn't seem desperate, because the team still has fresh talent in its back pocket. The DSV has nominated six women and six men each for the World Cup. Given that there are only four starting places for each team per race (with the exception of the Norwegians, who have six athletes in their ranks among the top ten overall in the World Cup, in addition to the current world champion), it is necessary to do a rotation.
There are seven races left until Sunday, the first with the women's individual this Tuesday (5:10 p.m. on ARD and Eurosport). Then Selina Grotian will make her World Cup debut. The five-time junior world champion has already gained experience in the World Cup this season, but did not go higher than 21st place.
Although he has already demonstrated his strength several times in the race, he has not yet been able to combine it with a good shot, said Bitterling, but he is confident: “Nove Mesto would not be a bad place to combine that. “