The German biathlon talent Leonhard Pfund fought for a long time for a podium finish in the Nove Mesto mass start. During the last shooting, he then made crucial mistakes.
Leonhard Pfund narrowly missed the first top-ten finish of his young career in his World Cup debut. One day after the disqualification drama in the Single Mixed, when his supposed victory with Marlene Fichtner was retroactively annulled, the 22-year-old fought for a long time for a podium place in the mass start, only falling back after two errors in the last shooting. In the end, Pfund finished 15th (2/+1:11.4 minutes) in the race won by Eric Perrot from France (0 penalty loops).
The best athlete of the German Ski Association (DSV) was Roman Rees, who finished eighth without any penalty loops (+44.4 seconds). Danilo Riethmüller only placed 24th (6/+2:45.9) after major problems at the shooting range. The ailing Olympian Philipp Horn had aimed to participate in the mass start but did not get fit in time.
Pfund at his World Cup debut in the Czech Republic
Biathlon: Pound Lost Victory in the Single Mixed Relay
After his strong 13th place on Thursday in the shortened individual race, Pfund had already celebrated his supposed first World Cup victory on Saturday. However, because partner Fichtner had not brought her left arm through the rifle’s carrying frame in time after the second prone shooting when leaving the mat, the DSV duo was removed from the results list immediately before the award ceremony.
At the top, Perrot underscored his medal ambitions with his second victory in Nove Mesto and took over the lead in the overall World Cup from Italian Tommaso Giacomel, who only finished eleventh (5/+53.9). Second was American Campbell Wright (1/+9.0), and third was Sverre Dahlen Aspenes from Norway (0/+16.2).