Maximilian Pichler/Nico Edlinger have cleaned up.

Pichler/Edlinger celebrate comeback victory after injury break

Austrians Maximilian Pichler and Nico Edlinger celebrated a brilliant comeback victory at the FIL Alpine Luge World Cup on Saturday. After a three-week break (Pichler had cut his finger while preparing the sled) and one training run, they returned to competition with a win.

17 January 2026

From: pm

A look at the sector times reveals that Pichler/Edlinger weren't feeling their best in the first few meters; the injured finger was likely a handicap, especially at the start. After posting the third-best split time in the upper section of the 785-meter-long natural toboggan run "Pföslriep," the reigning European champions racked up one sector best time after another, finishing with a time of 59,91 seconds – the only doubles team to break the one-minute barrier.

“This is truly a successful comeback, it couldn’t be better. I wouldn’t have thought that we’d be back on top of the podium right after the injury break,” said Pichler in the winner’s interview, who is now concentrating together with Edlinger on defending their title at the European Championships in Laas from January 23 to 25.

The Lambacher brothers made it onto the podium. © Ulrich Wilhelm

The reigning world champions Matthias Lambacher/Peter Lambacher (South Tyrol, +0,34 seconds) and the reigning junior world champions Gabriel Halcin/Samuel Halcin (Slovakia, +4,21 seconds) finished in second and third place, respectively. Fellow favorites Tobias Paur/Andreas Hofer (South Tyrol) went off the course shortly before the finish line while on their way to a podium finish, but were able to continue uninjured to the finish and salvaged 50 valuable points for the overall World Cup standings.

In the overall standings, Lambacher/Lambacher lead after four of seven races with 330 points, ahead of Pichler/Edlinger (300) and Paur/Hofer (290).

On Sunday in Deutschnofen/Nova Ponente, three races are on the program: women's singles, men's singles and the team competition.

The schedule

Sunday, 18.01.2026
10 a.m.: 1st single-seater women's race
10.30 a.m.: 1st single-seater men's race
11.30 a.m.: Women's single-seater final run, followed by a flower ceremony
12.15 p.m.: Men's single-seater final run, followed by a flower ceremony
13.30 p.m.: Team competition, followed by a flower ceremony
14 p.m.: Award ceremony for women's single-seater, men's single-seater and team competition