Status: 09.02.2022 12:30 p.m
Vinzenz Geiger celebrated the greatest success of his career in Nordic Combined at the Olympic Games. The man from Oberstdorf won gold with a sensational race to catch up.
The Nordic combined celebrated their first gold in Zhangjiakou. In the end, Vinzenz Geiger won the thriller for the medals. Silver went to Norwegian Joergen Graabak. Austria’s Lukas Greiderer ran to bronze.
Due to the corona, only four of the top 8 of the season were at the start, but that shouldn’t diminish the sporting value of the competition. In a gripping finale, Geiger completely turned the race around and surprised the competition with a fantastic final sprint.
Rydzek delivers on the hill
In jumping, Johannes Rydzek delivered to the point and made the German team dream of gold for the first time. After his jump of 104 meters, the 30-year-old from the Allgäu started the demanding course in fourth place, 0.43 seconds behind the leading Japanese Ryota Yamamoto (108). For Rydzek, one of the best runners in the field, Olympic victory was within reach.
After his jump on 103 meters, Julian Schmid also started the race in third place, just 0.40 seconds behind the Austrian Lukas Greiderer (103.5 meters / +0.38s).
competition in wait
But behind them lurked a contender for the gold medal in the form of World Cup leader Johannes Lamparter from Austria. As the fifth-best jumper, he had to catch up by 1.04 minutes. The Finn Illka Herola (+1.09) and the Norwegian Joergen Graabak (+1.16) were also on the list for the top places.
Group of four with Rydzek and Schmid the hunted
The Oberstdorf-Express with Rydzek and Schmid quickly picked up speed and caught up with Yamamoto and Greiderer. However, the pursuers with Lamparter and, surprisingly, Vinzenz Geiger, who had started the race in eleventh (+1.26), were already on sight.
Trio hold lead at halftime
The quartet became a trio. The Japanese lost the connection, Rydzek, Schmid and Greiderer kept the pace high and the pursuers at a distance.
On the final lap Rydzek increased the pace, Greiderer was able to stay close to the man from Oberstdorf, Schmid couldn’t keep up but still had his sights set on bronze.
Geiger takes gold in a wild race to catch up
With 1.5 kilometers to go, Rydzek increased the pace again. The pursuers with Geiger Graabak and Lampartern drew closer and overtook Schmid.
Rydzek was also unable to cope with the final spurt from Geiger, Graback and Greideres. He finished fifth behind Lamparter.
Co-favorites Frenzel, Weber, Riiber in quarantine
However, it is bitter that gold favorite Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR) and three-time Olympic champion Erik Frenzel, Estonian co-favorite Kristjan Ilves and Terence Weber were still in quarantine after positive tests. A lightning start from Weber failed.
Source: sportschau.de