Grotian and Preuß defeated only by Jeanmonnot in Antholz

In the last sprint race before the upcoming Biathlon World Championships in Lenzerheide, two Germans have pushed themselves into the favorite group with top placements. Selina Grotian and Franziska Preuß both shot clean and secured a double podium finish for the DSV (German Ski Association).

Selina Grotian, who had already won the mass start race in Le Grand Bornand this winter, made a strong statement with her courageous performance, establishing herself among the world's elite. The 20-year-old from SC Mittenwald suddenly finds herself as a strong contender for the upcoming World Championship.

Franziska Preuß from SC Haag reinforced her strong form with a podium finish, maintaining her lead in the overall World Cup standings before Jeanmonnot.

Grotian expressed her happiness, stating, "It can't get much better. I seem to be fit at just the right time when others are faltering. I find that great."

The top two German athletes were only outrun by Jeanmonnot, who managed to stay error-free at the shooting range, and was faster on the track, finishing with a time of 7.2 seconds ahead of Grotian. Preuß followed closely behind.

In the competition, other favorites like Julia Simon from France and Hanna Öberg from Sweden were less impressive, with the Italian veteran Dorothea Wierer making a strong return in fourth place, just before the championship season.

Overall, the event had a solid participation from the DSV, with only four female biathletes competing. Sophia Schneider and Stefanie Scherer rounded off the results, finishing 28th and 54th, respectively.

This promising performance from Grotian and Preuß has sparked optimism within the German team as they head toward the major competitions on the horizon.