Biathlon: Giacomel beats the top contenders in the World Cup | Gazzetta.it

On January 19, 2025, Tommaso Giacomel, a 24-year-old from Trentino, made headlines by winning the mass start event in Ruhpolding, Germany. This victory marked Italy's first success in men's biathlon at the World Cup level in nearly four years, with the last winner being Lukas Hofer in March 2021.

With a flawless shooting performance and strong skiing, Giacomel finished with a time of 36 minutes and 21.8 seconds, edging out Norway's Sturla Laegreid by 6.3 seconds and Johannes Bø by 11.4 seconds, despite the latter's announcement of retirement at the end of the season.

"This is a surreal day for me; it has been a tough race, especially competing against the top athletes," said Giacomel. "This result means a lot to me and to the entire team, especially as we navigate a challenging season."

In the women’s mass start event, Dorothea Wierer finished fourth, recording just one shooting error. The competition continues in Antholz with a sprint event on January 23, followed by the men's sprint and a series of relay races.