Riiber Secures Fifth Victory in World Cup Season

Originally published in Eurosport on January 13, 2024

Jarl Magnus Riiber, the current leader of the World Cup standings, showcased his exceptional skills by capitalizing on his impressive performance in the ski jumping segment. He sprinted to victory in the Nordic combined competition on Saturday, held in Oberstdorf.

This win marks Riiber's fifth victory of the season. Recently, at a competition weekend in Ramsau, he finished in second place twice, which further fueled his determination to excel.

"I could have gone a bit faster on the third or fourth lap, but I wasn’t quite feeling my best at that moment. Once I calmed down, my energy came back. It was just a matter of waiting for the right moment, and I had a great battle out there," Riiber reflected after the race.

In the overall standings, Jens Lurås Oftebro took seventh place, while Jørgen Graabak finished in ninth. Espen Bjørnstad and Kasper Moen Flatla secured the thirteenth and fifteenth spots, respectively.

Notably, this race was the first in the Nordic combined circuit in nearly a month.

During the jumping phase, Riiber reached a distance of 105 meters, trailing by only four seconds behind Austria’s Thomas Rettenegger before entering the skiing segment.

"He picks up where he left off before Christmas; he had a strong stance and set himself up perfectly," remarked Viaplay expert Moan regarding Riiber’s jump.

In less than four minutes, Riiber took control of the race, pulling ahead of Rettenegger and holding a solid lead. However, as the final lap approached, he noticed Johannes Lamparter and Stefan Rettenegger closing in.

Demonstrating his strength and determination, Riiber managed to pull away in that last lap, ultimately securing his victory.

As the weekend unfolded in Germany, Riiber led the World Cup standings with a 90-point lead over Austria’s Johannes Lamparter. With this latest win, he has widened that margin even further.

Looking ahead, Sunday’s event is set to feature a highly anticipated compact format where placement, rather than jumping points, will determine skiing distances.