Geiger storms to stunning Gundersen win in Ramsau
Dec 21, 2024·Nordic Combined
Germany’s Vinzenz Geiger stormed to his third Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup victory of the season in Sunday’s Gundersen in Ramsau.
The Olympic champion started the cross-country race a minute and six seconds behind but powered through the field with a stunning charge on the third of four laps.
Heading into the final kilometer, the 27-year-old only had Ilkka Herola (FIN) for company, and one final attack saw Geiger claim his fifth World Cup win in Ramsau, and his 13th individual World Cup triumph overall, with Herola one second behind in second.
Compatriot Julian Schmid took third place to continue his fine start to the season, with both men reducing the gap on Jarl Magnus Riiber in the overall standings.
Herola, meanwhile, secured his 12th individual World Cup podium finish, his first since a second place in Otepää in January 2023.
“It was pretty much the best possible ending to this year,” said the 29-year-old Finn. “It is nice to return to the podium – it has been quite a long time since the last one.
“Overall it was a really good weekend with two decent jumps and two good cross-country races. I feel I am getting back to good shape in both.”
Schmid was also happy with a fifth podium of the season, reducing his gap to Riiber to 50 points in the overall standings.
“My jump wasn’t that good this morning so the gap was quite big,” he said. “But we had really good skis and managed as a team to close the gap. I am really happy with third place.”
Stefan Rettenegger (AUT) had looked well placed to earn his first podium of the year but his chances were hit by an untimely fall after 7.5km and he had to settle for fifth, 24.5 seconds back, while Jens Luraas Oftebro (NOR) followed his second place on Friday with fourth in the Gundersen.
Five-time champion Riiber started with a 53-second deficit and had reduced that to 14 seconds by 3.2km, but couldn’t maintain that pace on a punishing third lap.
He paid for his early charge but still won a sprint to finish sixth, 42.3 seconds back, only the second time he has failed to finish in the top two in Ramsau over the last six years.
Rettenegger started with a 28-second deficit on Ryota Yamamoto (JPN), whose stunning 97.5-meter jump (below) for 143.6 points earned him a 26-second advantage for the cross-country.
But Rettenegger had halved that inside the first 700m and hit the front by the 2.5km mark, with Herola for company, Yamamoto just behind and 10 others in a chasing pack in hot pursuit.
Rettenegger and Herola still led as they hit the halfway mark, with Yamamoto slipping back into the second group, but a stunning uphill attack by Geiger – with Oftebro and Schmid keeping pace – made it a five-man race for victory.
Rettenegger’s fall saw him cut adrift from the top four approaching the last kilometer, with Geiger ultimately proving the strongest in a thrilling race.
After the cancellation of the jumping in Friday’s Mass Start because of heavy snow, bright and clear conditions had earlier greeted the men on the Austrian plateau.
Yamamoto, the 37th of 59 in the field, set a challenging target with a superb 97.5m effort to earn 143.6 points, which proved to be the best of the day.
“I was surprised,” Yamamoto said. “It was a perfect jump, so I am happy.”
A trio of Austrians got closest to the Japanese, taking advantage of the best conditions to start the cross-country within 30 seconds of Yamamoto.
Martin Fritz collected 137.1 points for his 96.0m effort, Stefan Rettenegger landed his best jump of the season so far - 92.0m - to earn 136.5 points, with his brother Thomas just behind on 136.3 after a 94.5m effort.
The last nine starters appeared to have more difficulty although Geiger and Schmid both reached exactly 90.0m to start just over a minute behind, before Riiber – last to go – pulled out a 92.5m jump to earn 130.3 points.
But even the defending champion could not make up his deficit in a punishing cross-country.
Click here for full results from Sunday's Gundersen.
