68th 4-Hills-Tournament: The favorites

The currently best four ski jumpers in the World Cup are the ones to beat in the fight for the overall title of the 68th 4-Hills-Tournament 
Ryoyu Kobayashi  ·  Stefan Kraft  ·  Kamil Stoch  ·  Karl Geiger

Ryoyu Kobayashi
After some problems at the beginning of the season, the 23-year-old Japanese is back in his great shape from last winter right in time. 
Last season, Kobayashi came from zero and dominated the rest of the field with a total of 13 World Cup wins. In addition, he won the 4-Hills-Tournament (with wins at all four venues) and the RAW AIR in Norway.
Kobayashi is the top favorite at the 68th 4-Hills-Tournament.

Stefan Kraft
Stefan Kraft had never had such a strong start of the season like this winter. The 26-year-old Austrian, who won the 2014/15 4-Hills-Tournament, seemed to be surprised himself about his strong shape that early in the season. The only minor flaw is Kraft's fall in the final event before the 4-Hills-Tournament last Sunday in Engelberg. Before this competition, the 2016/17 overall World Cup champion issued a motto, that also applies to the upcoming 4-Hills-Tournament: Attack!

Kamil Stoch
With his clear win on Saturday in Engelberg, the three-time Olympic champion is now among the top contenders. Before Engelberg, this season didn't go that well for the 32-year-old Pole, but in Engelberg he showed that he definitely has to be reckoned with. Stoch has already won the 4-Hills-Tournament twice (2016/17 and 2017/18). His experience and the shape he is now is, right in time, make him the number 3 on the list of the top favorites.

Karl Geiger
Geiger is the only one of the top favorites who has not won the 4-Hills yet. The overall winner from Germany was Sven Hannawald in 2002 when Geiger was just eight years old. Everything would have to go perfect for the Oberstdorf-native, everything. Geiger's strength is his consistency, the 26-year-old is currently more consistent and stable than everyone else. Geiger is probably the only one this season who could end the 17-year long dry spell of the German ski jumpers at this 4-Hills-Tournament.

----- 
But it's a well-known fact that the 4-Hills-Tournament lives from surprises. Also in the 68th edition of the 4-Hills, athletes who are not on top of the list of favorites right now will try to seize any chance they get.

Peter Prevc · Has to be reckoned with
The Slovene won the 4-Hills in 2015/16 is back on top after a long dry spell. Since his second place on Sunday in Engelberg, Prevc is now officially among the very best again. Peter Prevc can provide a surprise.

Jan Hoerl · The dark horse
The starting position of Austria's Jan Hoerl is a little bit like the position his fellow countryman Thomas Diethart was in six years ago. Before the start of the 4-Hills-Tournament 2013/14, nobody reckoned with the 21-year-old. So it was sensational when Diethart won the overall title back then. Hoerl has a huge potential and his first-ever World Cup podium in Engelberg now gives him the self-confidence he needs.

The Norwegians
Lindvik · Tande · Forfang · Johansson
The Norwegians are currently in a strange situation. After Daniel Andre Tande showed outstanding performances at the beginning of the season, he now lost his shape only three weeks later. No Norwegian is among the top favorites for the overall title right now, but that's exactly what makes them dangerous. The athletes of head coach Alexander Stoeckl have the potential to win. Besides the veterans Tande, Johansson and Forfang, it will be exciting to see how youngster Marius Lindvik will do. Lindvid could provide a surprise, just like Anders Jacobsen did years ago.