Team Germany can’t stop winning in Chaux-Neuve

Fabian Rießle took the win in the second Individual Gundersen event in Chaux-Neuve. In another German podium sweep, Rießle took the victory in a strong finish against teammate and yesterday’s winner Johannes Rydzek (+2.2 seconds). Eric Frenzel returned to the podium on the third position, finishing 7.9 seconds behind the winner.

Jarl Riiber proved to be unbeatable on the jumping hill one more time but today, the result was closer than yesterday. 115 metres from gate 16 gave Riiber 139.8 points but only a 16-second head start on young Austrian Franz-Josef Rehrl, who continues in strong jumping shape. 113 metres (gate 19, 135.7 p.) put Rehrl in second and directly ahead of teammate Bernhard Gruber. Gruber showed 114 metres and accumulated a total of 131.7 points. 32 seconds of time to make up had Gruber starting 2 seconds ahead of World Cup dominator Eric Frenzel, who was out for blood after his unlucky day yesterday. He showed 113 metres (131.2 points).

Local hero Francois Braud positioned himself on the intermediate sixth rank with 41 seconds to catch up. A strong group of skiers went out on the track around the one minute mark: Fabian Rießle made his ambitions for victory clear with 111 metres and just 44 seconds to take in, Johannes Rydzek followed at +0:52. Magnus Krog and Björn Kircheisen has 56 and 57 seconds to make up respectively and „Le Roi Magnus“ Moan started exactly at +1:00.

Leader Riiber was caught in the stadium at the 5 kilometre mark as yesterday and from then on, it was a huge train leading the field. 20 athletes skied together for the biggest part of the race. The leading group contained all big favourites: Eric Frenzel, Fabian Rießle, Johannes Rydzek, Magnus Moan and Magnus Krog as well as Bernhard Gruber and Björn Kircheisen but also surprises like young French athlete Antoine Gerard and Austrians Franz-Josef Rehrl and Paul Gerstgraser. The crowd was enthusiastic about local hero Francois Braud also accompanying the leading group.

As yesterday, the decision was made on the last lap. When the Germans accelerated the speed, all other nations were hard pressed to follow. Rydzek, Rießle and Frenzel went to battle the podium out between themselves and by the 8.6 kilometre point, Magnus Moan, Björn Kircheisen, Magnus Krog, Akito Watabe, Samuel Costa, FJ Rehrl and the rest of the group had to let go.

It was Rießle who had the strongest sprint in the end and Rydzek and Frenzel had to concede defeat. Behind the top three, Magnus Krog beat young Austrian Paul Gerstgraser for the fourth rank but with a new career best, the 21-year-old will not be too disappointed. Watabe, Kircheisen and Gruber filled up the Top Ten ranks and local hero Antoine Gerard delighted with the first Top Ten position of his career with rank 10.