The hunt for Jarl Magnus Riiber continues in Ramsau am Dachstein

The weekend before Christmas traditionally brings Nordic Combined World Cup action to Ramsau am Dachstein (AUT) and the big question of the remaining two Individual Gundersen competitions in 2019 will be: can anyone beat Jarl Magnus Riiber?

The HS 98, one of the smallest hills on tour, usually brings the the strong skiers to the fore. The Mass Start-like cross-country races with big groups and lots of jostling on the track are always exciting to watch, as  many of the local spectators like to do. A new, tough cross-country track will add an interesting new angle to the race.

So who can challenge Riiber on this last competition weekend of 2019? Germany’s Fabian Rießle is one of the athlete to watch: he claimed eight podium positions in Ramsau since 2012 and also his teammate Vinzenz Geiger, Finland’s Ilkka Herola and Eero Hirvonen or Italian veteran Alessandro Pittin might go after Christmas presents of the their own making.

But in all likelihood, the fight for the victories might come down to a duel between World Cup dominator Jarl Magnus Riiber and teammate and 2014 Olympic Champion Jørgen Graabak. The number one and two in the current World Cup standings both managed to win one event in Ramsau last year and with a smaller hill reducing the gaps before the cross-country race, Riiber might have to rely on a good cross-country performance to a larger extent than in the competitions in Ruka and Lillehammer.

The local heroes from Austria are still waiting for their first home victory in Ramsau, even though Franz-Josef Rehrl came close with a second place last year. The last Austrian on the top spot of the podium in Ramsau was Mario Stecher, now Sport Director of the team, in 2010. The team used the time without World Cup competitions to take part in an Austria Cup in Ramsau last weekend and tested out the new track before all others.

It remains to be seem if Team Austria can capitalise on their advantage or if King Riiber continues to rule supreme. Only a competition weekend full of Christmas cheer in Ramsau can tell.

The programme

Friday, 20.12.
10:00 Official training HS 98
12:00 Provisional Competition Round/Qualification HS 98
14:30 Official training cross-country

Saturday, 21.12.
10:00 Trial Round HS 98
11:00 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 98
14:15 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km cross-country race

Sunday, 22.12.
09:30 Trial Round / Qualification HS 98
11:00 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN Competition Round HS 98
15:45 INDIVIDUAL GUNDERSEN 10 km cross-country race

(local times = CET)

Timetable subject to change!

Quick Facts

HILL
WM-Schanze
HS 98

TRACK
WM-Stadion
2.5 km loop
Height Difference: 40 m
Maximum Climb: 32 m
Total Climb: 93 m

LAST YEAR’S PODIUM
IG I: 1. Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR), 2. Franz-Josef Rehrl (AUT), 3. Fabian Rießle (GER)
IG II: 1. Jørgen Graabak (NOR), 2. Johannes Rydzek (GER), 3. Fabian Rießle (GER)