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Victorious in Nove Mesto: Erik Lesser, Arnd Peiffer, Philipp Nawrath, Benedikt Doll
Photo: GEPA pictures / Philipp Brem / imago images / GEPA pictures
The German men's biathlon relay won a World Cup race for the first time in more than four years.
The quartet with Erik Lesser, Benedikt Doll, Arnd Peiffer and Philipp Nawrath prevailed in Nove Mesto in the Czech Republic with only five spares ahead of Russia (eight spares) and Norway (nine spares).
One and a half weeks after the World Cup relay debacle with seventh place in Pokljuka, the team showed itself to be much better and was 1: 21.7 minutes ahead of the Russians after 4x7.5 kilometers.
The last German success to date was in Antholz in January 2017.
Above all, the 32-year-old Lesser was in the focus in front of empty grandstands on the 2013 World Cup tracks.
As a starting runner at the World Championships in Slovenia, he suffered a slump, so that his team was out of the race right at the beginning of the competition and at the end had no chance of winning the medals.
Lesser shone in Nove Mesto, overtook Norwegian Sturla Holm Lægreid on his last lap and gave Germany an early lead.
The team with the experienced Doll and Peiffer confidently held this position.
Nawrath, who normally competes in the second-rate IBU Cup, also had no problems and was even able to extend his lead.
World champion and favorite Norway took three penalties in difficult wind conditions in the last relay race of the winter.
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cev / dpa
