Podium and perfection remain denied to Wierer

Dorothea Wierer narrowly missed her first podium finish in two years. The four-time world champion was undone by a mistake in the last standing start in the pursuit.

March 08, 2025

From: never

A podium finish in the World Cup – almost exactly two years ago, Dorothea Wierer last had the pleasure of one. Almost 24 months after her triumph in the mass start in Östersund, Wierer was once again very close to the podium. In the end, however, she was ten seconds away from ending her dry spell. In the pursuit at the World Cup in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, the four-time world champion showed her strong side, competing at the top both on the shooting range and on the cross-country ski trail. However, a mistake in the final standing position cost Wierer her place on the podium and ultimately caused her to fall back to sixth place (+29,6 seconds).

The Frenchwoman Julia Simon took the win. The ten-time world champion was not deterred by a penalty lap and clearly beat the Swede Hanna Öberg (+17,2/2 penalty laps). Third place was shared between the two Frenchwomen Oceane Michelon (3rd/+19,2/2) and Lou Jeanmonnot (4th/2/+20,4) and the German Selina Grotian (5th/+24,1/1). The trio successfully shook off Wierer in the final kilometers.

Auchentaller falls back – thriller for overall World Cup

A second South Tyrolean, Hannah Auchentaller, was also represented in the starting field on Saturday. However, the 23-year-old from Antholz fell from 27th to 38th place over the ten kilometers. The 2023 relay world champion made five mistakes at the shooting range and was 3.29,5 minutes 14 behind winner Simon at the finish. The remaining Azzurre Samuela Comola (1.51,3th/+1/21), Michela Carrara (2.19,2st/+3/47) and Martina Trabucchi (4.17,8th/+3/XNUMX) also finished in the middle of the field.

Hannah Auchentaller fell behind in the pursuit. © Teyssot / Pierre TEYSSOT

A thriller is brewing in the women's overall World Cup. The German leader Franziska Preuß is only 13 points ahead of her French rival Jeanmonnot after finishing 36th in the pursuit. There are still five races left on the program - so a showdown for the big crystal globe is definitely guaranteed. The World Cup in Nove Mesto will be rounded off with the relays on Sunday. The men start at 13.50:16.45 p.m., the women's races start at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.