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Oberstdorf (dpa) - Eric Frenzel demonstratively hung his head and fell disappointed to the ground.
Instead of another miraculous triumph, the home World Cup in Oberstdorf began with a disappointment for the German Nordic combined athletes.
Frenzel and team-mate Fabian Rießle were among the favorites on the ten kilometers, but in the end did not get past fourth and sixth and thus missed the target medal by a margin.
"The chance was there," said national coach Hermann Weinbuch.
When asked about a possible disappointment, the 60-year-old responded defiantly: “We have no wound.
We actually did a lot right, but it has to work for you too. "
This did not happen on Friday.
Frenzel, the record champion at world championships with seven titles, was only a few seconds short of a medal.
"It was a good day in itself when you're five seconds behind gold," he said.
"That is that little bit that we have been looking for for a long time."
At the same time, he encouraged himself: "For my part, I have gained self-confidence."
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Instead, Norwegian Jarl Magnus Riiber crowned himself world champion with provocative ease.
“Everything went well with him today.
The race went perfectly for him, ”Weinbuch analyzed.
The 23-year-old defending champion initially let the pursuers approach the ten kilometers in the Allgäu and then demonstrated in the demanding final why he is currently the head of the combined athletes.
But also the Finn Ilkka Herola and Norway's Jens Luuras Oftebro, who won silver and bronze, were too strong this time.
«We can't fault ourselves, we've tried everything.
It's annoying, but we have to put up with it.
We would have liked to get on the podium, but it didn't work, ”said Riessle.
For co-favorites Vinzenz Geiger (14th place) and Johannes Rydzek (28th) things went only moderately after mixed jumps.
Both men from Oberstdorf tried to make up the gap of over a minute on the trail right from the start.
At first it worked perfectly, then both collapsed.
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The six-time world champion Rydzek crossed the finish line completely exhausted.
Geiger, who was second overall in the World Cup, explained his tactics: “The starting position was such that I had to risk everything.
It's about the medals and I'm not running to finish fifth. "
Riiber, who jumps consistently and excellently and has in the meantime also trained a strong finish in the cross-country ski trail, had already won two gold and one silver two years ago in Seefeld and has been considered a top athlete in the sport for years.
After the World Cup premiere of the women's combination on Saturday, the team competition is on the program on Sunday (10 a.m. and 3 p.m. / ARD and Eurosport).
Frenzel, Rießle and Geiger should be set for the competition.
Whether Rydzek will be part of the quartet again is still completely open.
In Manuel Faißt and Terence Weber, head coach Weinbuch has two more above-average alternatives up his sleeve.
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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210226-99-610135 / 4
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