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Erik Lesser: "I don't even know what to be dissatisfied with first"
Photo:
Darko Bandic / dpa
The German biathletes clearly missed the medal they had hoped for at the World Cup opener in Pokljuka, Slovenia, due to too many shooting errors.
The mixed relay with Erik Lesser, Arnd Peiffer, Denise Herrmann and Franziska Preuß had to settle for seventh place over 4x7.5 kilometers and has been waiting for the fourth World Championship gold in mixed doubles since 2017.
The first victory in difficult conditions was secured by the strong defending champion Norway around Johannes Thingnes Bø (zero penalties, eleven spares).
With a 27 second lead, Norway relegated the surprisingly strong team from Austria to second place.
Bronze went to the team from Sweden 30.6 seconds back.
Germany was 1: 04.9 minutes behind world champions Norway, and was around 35 seconds short of bronze.
The German quartet managed a total of eleven spare rounds, starting runner Lesser was 17th after four extra cartridges, already 1:02 minutes behind the top at the first change.
The fourth place in the World Cup last year were unable to make up for this deficit and were again left empty-handed when there was heavy snowfall, as in 2020 in Antholz, Italy.
"I was shocked when I saw the residue"
»I am very sad about my performance.
I don't even know what to be dissatisfied with first, ”Lesser said afterwards.
"In the mixed relay the four best run, I'm not one of them today." For the first time, the men ran first in a World Cup mixed relay.
But Lesser came under pressure in the thick snowstorm on the 1350 meter high Pokljuka plateau.
“I was a little knocked out on the last lap.
I was more a victim than an actor.
The spares mustn't happen to me either, "Lesser said, and:" I ruined the other three's day. "
Peiffer stayed on target with one spare, but ran behind his possibilities.
So the gap to the leading Norwegians grew to 1: 41.9 minutes.
“I was shocked when I saw the backlog.
I was hoping to hand Denise over in a better position, ”said the Olympic Sprint Champion.
On Friday (2.30 p.m. / ARD and Eurosport) the men will have the next opportunity to win a medal in the ten kilometer sprint.
The title fights will take place until February 21st, and medals will be awarded in twelve races.
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