Doll: “That bothers me”: Norway presents German biathletes with a difficult puzzle

Doll: “That bothers me”
Norway presents German biathletes with a difficult puzzle

January 16, 2024, 7:24 p.m

When the biathletes compete in this World Cup winter, a Norwegian is almost always ahead at the finish. Usually even two, three or five. Shortly before the World Cup, the Germans are wondering where this dominance comes from. And how this can be broken.

The German biathletes can only dream of such dominance. The almost all-powerful Norwegians around last year’s series winner Johannes Thingnes Bö have already celebrated seven individual successes this season, plus 19 more podium places. The Scandinavians also won all of the winter relay races. Before the World Cup dress rehearsal in Antholz, Italy, starting Thursday, the competition for the two-time season winner Benedikt Doll faces an almost impossible challenge.

In seventh place overall, the 33-year-old from the Black Forest is the first non-Norwegian in the ranking. With his two sprint successes, he is considered one of the few challengers. However, the lack of consistency bothers Doll. At the home race in Ruhpolding he only ended up in 19th and 28th place. “That bothers me,” he wrote on his social media channels. “I will use the next few days intensively to regain security.”

Security that the Norwegians have long had again. The problem for Doll and Co.: After only the five-time Olympic champion Bö triumphed last winter, all six starters from Norway are now fighting for victory – there have been five triple successes for a team like this season among the ski hunters never. For sports director Felix Bitterling from the German Ski Association, mental strength also makes the difference. “They are more experienced in dealing with the top positions, getting themselves into the position and then using it,” he said.

Unlike in Germany, where the athletes are usually employed by the federal police, customs or the armed forces, the Norwegians have to make a living from prize money and advertising. They are considered self-employed, which is another reason why the pressure is higher. If you don’t succeed, you don’t make any money. And the team led by shooting coach Siegfried Mazet focuses exclusively on the performance principle.

“That might be the weakness of such a strong team”

Past successes do not secure any of the six World Cup places. “You can’t afford bad races, then you’re out. It’s harder to beat your teammates than the rest,” said veteran Tarjei Bö. There are also three Norwegians at the top in the second-class IBU Cup and three more in the top ten – they all want to move up to the elite league.

The regular relay runner Vetle Sjastad Christiansen had to experience the consequences of a lack of top results firsthand when, much to his annoyance, he was not in the squad after finishing seventh in the overall World Cup in Oberhof. Johan-Olav Botn, who is considered the greatest talent on the cross-country ski trail, made his debut for him. “That is perhaps also the weakness of such a strong team, that you always have to be at your best,” said Christiansen. In the other nations, athletes can afford to slack off and still remain in the World Cup – due to the lack of internal competition.

But there is still hope for the non-Norwegians ahead of the World Cup in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic from February 7th to 18th. At least Christiansen, who returned with his first win of the season in Ruhpolding, warns himself and his compatriots to be careful: “We have to deliver at every World Cup and that takes a lot of energy – and then you might not make it at the World Cup. “

For the DSV athletes in Antholz it is now a matter of building on their impressive early form from the winter, when Roman Rees and Philipp Nawrath surprisingly won in Östersund and duped the world elite. “We want to gain self-confidence again,” said Bitterling.