Arnd Peiffer was well placed to give the German audience something to cheer about. But then he happened to find out what so many before in Oberhof, the tricky wind.
In the third shooting he shot himself, and instead looked like a French duo who would stand at the top of the podium. After brilliant skiing, Martin Fourcade and Simon Desthieux had created a gap of over 30 seconds before the last shoot. But next to each other they would shudder in the wind, and Fourcade went on a penalty round while Desthieux believed in two.
After all, for Fourcade there was nothing that could threaten him from standing at the top of the podium. But Desthieux had bigger problems. For Peiffer was strong in the tracks, and caught up and sprinted past the rally.
There, Jesper Nelin stood for a fine effort when he entered seventh place, a personal best for the Swede who had previously been ninth in an individual competition in the World Cup.