Lamparter holds off Riiber in Compact for first win of season
Jan 19, 2025·Nordic Combined
Austria’s Johannes Lamparter beat Jarl Magnus Riiber in a thrilling duel in Sunday’s Compact in Schonach to claim his first victory in the men’s Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup since Trondheim last March.
The 2022-23 overall champion, who finished second in Saturday’s Gundersen, started the cross-country 12 seconds behind the defending champion but caught him inside the opening 2km of the 7.5km course.
But Riiber, who faded from first to sixth on Saturday, kept pace with the 23-year-old before Lamparter attacked in the final kilometer to win in 19:02.2, 5.1 seconds clear of Riiber.
It was his 13th individual World Cup win overall, and third podium this season, a signal he is returning to top form in the lead-up to the World Championships in late February.
“I’m really happy," Lamparter added. "I had a great jump and a fantastic race at the front. I managed to set an attack and fortunately it was enough today.”
Riiber’s second place saw him extend his lead in the overall standings to 72 points, while Lamparter moved up to fourth place.
“I was just trying to survive,” said the five-time champion. “I knew it would be hard to be on the podium but I was lucky I had Johannes today. After yesterday I wasn’t sure I could do that alone, so to just be in behind him and getting on the podium was my goal.
“I am still too weak at the moment to fight for the first place and it should be a good performance to be on the highest level. But hopefully I can look forward to being back on the top again soon.”
Jens Luraas Oftebro, winner of Saturday’s Gundersen, threatened to make it a three-way fight for victory when, after starting 30 seconds behind, he made a big move on the second loop and closed to within seven seconds after 5km stage with his strength on the uphill sections.
But that effort cost the 24-year-old in the closing stages as Vinzenz Geiger, who started 52 seconds back in 17th after the jumping, surged through the field to claim the final place on the podium.
Oftebro also saw a trio of Austrians – Martin Fritz, Stefan Rettenegger and Franz-Josef Rehrl – pass him in the final stages as the Norwegian eventually finished seventh, 37.4 seconds back.
Geiger’s late charge saw him move ahead of Julian Schmid – who finished 10th – into second in the overall standings.
“It was a perfect cross-country race, even if my jump was not that good,” said the German. “I had good skis today and with the crowd it was really fun to catch up the other guys.”
Earlier on the Langewald HS100 hill, another stylish jump from Ryota Yamamoto (JPN) of 98.0 meters earned the 27-year-old 140.0 points before the improvement in the Austrian team over the winter break was illustrated again.
Although Thomas Rettenegger couldn’t quite match his feat of Saturday, a 94.5m effort scoring 136.7, compatriots Lukas Greiderer (97.0m for 138.6) and Fritz – 140.4 points from a 95.0m jump – also impressed before Rehrl (below) took the lead.
Rehrl’s 96.0m effort scored 142.1 points but Lamparter and Oftebro, two of the stronges in the tracks, landed 97.0m jumps (for 140.6 and 137.9 points respectively) to put themselves in contention ahead of the cross-country.
Riiber, going last again, soared out to 99.5 meters for a mammoth 147.4 points to win on the hill, but in the Compact format his rivals were bunched close behind and Lamparter took his chance to strike.
Click this link for full results of Sunday's Compact.
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