Germany's Podium Streak Continues in Nordic Combined

Germany's Podium Streak Continues in Nordic Combined

In Lillehammer, the German combined athletes could not quite match their explosive season start. Vice World Champion Julian Schmid continued the podium streak of the German combined team in the fourth race, but they couldn't replicate their successful kickoff in the Norwegian town. Despite a commanding home victory from top star Jarl Magnus Riiber, Schmid managed to secure second place. His club colleague, Vinzenz Geiger from Oberstdorf, fell behind in jumping and consequently lost the World Cup lead.

"It was really tough today, my legs felt very heavy," said Schmid. "But it was a beautiful sprint for second place; I think we provided a good show for the spectators."

During the three competitions of the opening weekend in Kuusamo, the DSV athletes bagged two victories and seven out of nine podium positions. In Lillehammer, only Schmid maintained this success and recorded his third top-three finish in this World Championship winter.

He finished 36.7 seconds behind World Cup record winner Riiber, who celebrated his 75th World Cup victory with relative ease. The third position was contested in a sprint finish alongside Schmid and Austrian Johannes Lamparter.

Rydzek in the Top 10

Veteran Johannes Rydzek from Oberstdorf, who had celebrated his first victory in nearly six years in Kuusamo, battled to secure seventh place, while no other German athlete cracked the Top 10. Olympic champion Geiger had to settle for 29th place.

While Riiber clearly dominated the jumping segment and led by 44 seconds over Rehrl, the results for the German starters on the jump were mixed. With a minute's deficit, Schmid was still the best DSV athlete in seventh place. Opening weekend winner Rydzek came in 14th, already 1:28 minutes down, while Geiger was hopelessly dropped back in 36th place with a deficit of 2:27 minutes.

With already eight podium finishes, the German team remains well above expectations. Last season, the German men's team went without a victory for the first time in 25 years, ending the season with just three third places through Faißt and David Mach as their only podium spots.