Lukas Hofer gains a lot of self-confidence in Antholz

Unexpected things often happen: Lukas Hofer actually shouldn't or shouldn't have taken part in the mass start in Antholz. But because several athletes from the top 25 in the overall World Cup ranking withdrew, the Montaler moved up. And with a view to the Olympic Games, he gained a lot of self-confidence: Hofer landed in 9th place and thus achieved his second-best result of the season. Only at the beginning of December was he better with 7th place in Östersund.

For the 32-year-old, who hadn't really gotten up to speed this season and had already taken a break, this result is like balm on the soul. In windy conditions at the shooting range, he left one target at each shot, but he was even quicker on the cross-country ski trail and made up position after position. After the first shooting, Hofer was still in 17th place, he then crossed the finish line in 9th place behind the defeated overall World Cup leader Quentin Fillon Maillet, who shot a total of 6 tickets. Benedikt Doll wins Meanwhile, at the front of the field there was a spectacular duel between the Norwegian Johannes Thingnes Bø and the German Benedikt Doll. There was pure tension at the fourth and final shooting: Bø was the first to turn into the shooting range, but missed once. Doll kept his nerve, hit all five targets and took the lead, which he defended confidently thanks to an outstanding final lap. In the end he gained a lead of half a minute and was able to enjoy the finish in the deserted Südtirol Arena. Third place went to Sturla Holm Lægreid.

This marks the end of two long dry spells: Benedikt Doll last triumphed in a World Cup race in December 2019. And the German biathlon men finally have an individual victory to celebrate in Antholz: the last time an athlete from the proud biathlon nation, Simon Schempp, stood on the top podium was in 2016. The rest of the Antholz program It continues in Antholz at 15 p.m. when the women compete in their relay competition. On Sunday it's the turn of the men's quartets (12.15 p.m.) before the women round off the Antholz weekend with their mass start (15.15 p.m.). This will also be the last biathlon race before the Olympic Games.

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Lukas Hofer gains a lot of self-confidence in Antholz

Lukas Hofer made a big statement at the mass start in Antholz. For the German biathlon men, a long dry spell came to an end.

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