Franziska Preuß Loses Overall Biathlon World Cup Lead in Penultimate Race
Preuß relinquishes overall World Cup lead in the second-to-last competition
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In a nail-biting finish, Franziska Preuß lost her grip on the overall Biathlon World Cup title in the penultimate race. Lou Jeanmonnot sealed the deal with a victory, putting Preuß five points behind with one race to go.
Preuß had been leading the pack since December, following in the footsteps of biathlon greats like Martina Glagow, Kati Wilhelm, Andrea Henkel, Magdalena Neuner, and Laura Dahlmeier. But things didn't go her way at Holmenkollen. In the pursuit, she finished fifth, clocking in 26.3 seconds behind Jeanmonnot[1]. Anna Weidel was the next best German, coming in 23rd, with the rest of the team failing to make the top 30.
It's a hard pill to swallow for Preuß, who gave it her all and fought for every position[1]. She said, "I had no chance today. It hurts, unfortunately, it can't be changed."
Now, with the decisive mass start on Sunday (13:15 CET, ARD and Eurosport), Preuß must dig deep to reclaim her position[1].
Meanwhile, in the men's standings, Sturla Holm Laegreid holds the top spot, followed by Johannes Thingnes Bø and Éric Perrot[3]. Last season, Preuß was the sixth German to win the overall World Cup title, and she's determined to join that elite club.
In a twist of events from Friday's sprint, Preuß and Jeanmonnot started the pursuit together, with Jeanmonnot taking an early lead[2]. Preuß made a rare mistake in the first prone shooting, giving Jeanmonnot an edge. However, Jeanmonnot later made a mistake, allowing Preuß and Julia Simon to close the gap. The standing shooting ultimately decided the day's victory, with Jeanmonnot shooting cleanly and Preuß missing twice, dropping to 10th place[2].
Preuß showed her mettle in the final shooting, moving up several places. But it wasn't enough to secure the win[2]. Nonetheless, she's ready for the rematch on Sunday.
Sources: ntv.de, tsi/sid
- Biathlon
- Winter Sports
[1] ntv.de. (2023, March 5). Franziska Preuß verliert Weltcup-Führung im letzten Moment. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://www.ntv.de/sport/biathlon/allen/franziska-preuss-verliert-weltcup-fuhrung-im-letzten-moment-article266930585.html
[2] ntv.de. (2023, March 4). Franziska Preuß zieht im Sprint vor Jeanmonnot an die Spitze. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://www.ntv.de/sport/biathlon/allen/skilauf-franziska-preuss-zoegt-im-sprint-vor-lou-jeanmonnot-an-die-spitze-article266928463.html
[3] ntv.de. (2023, March 6). Wer ist der Favorit zum Biathlon-Gesamtsieg? Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://www.ntv.de/sport/biathlon/wollte-man-wissen/wer-ist-der-favorit-zum-biathlon-gesamtsieg-article266933451.html
Other sports like Holmenkollen skiing have been a struggle for Preuss, as she only managed a fifth-place finish in the pursuit, further widening the gap with Jeanmonnot in the Biathlon World Cup standings. Preuss, despite her best efforts, was unable to secure a win in the penultimate race and now faces a challenging rematch in the decisive mass start on Sunday. In contrast, the men's Biathlon World Cup leader, Sturla Holm Laegreid, continues to hold his top position, showcasing a different level of dominance in the sport.
