The dreams of the Germans are almost shattered
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Karl Geiger came to Innsbruck as second on the tour, but was unable to get among the front runners
Quelle: Getty Images/Adam Pretty
The German ski jumpers traveled to Innsbruck with high hopes. Karl Geiger and Markus Eisenbichler, however, had nothing to do with the podium. But not even the top favorite. The Germans don’t have to write off the triumph yet.
Karl Geiger was enthroned up there on Bergisel on the treacherous, wind-prone hill with a view of the mountains of the Nordkette – and the Innsbruck cemetery. He knew only too well that it was there that many of the Germans’ touring dreams had shattered over the past few years. 2020 his too. And now? After an unsuccessful first jump, Geiger goes into the second, takes off, lands – and cheers. But with anger in his stomach, because only a second later he swings his fist through the air and scolds with a powerful resentment in his voice: “Why not right away?”
Bergisel and the Germans – it seems darned. The difference to last year is: At that time Geiger was the loser of the wind lottery, this time he made a mistake in the first round. In the end, he moved up from 30th to 16 th, Markus Eisenbichler from 15 to six. Others did a lot better: Pole Kamil Stoch won ahead of Anze Lanisek (Slovenia) and his compatriot Dawid Kubacki.
Surprising and the luck of the Germans: Season high-flyer Halvor Egner Granerud only made it to 15th place. For the dreams of the first overall victory for Germany after Sven Hannawald’s triumph in 2002, this means: The dreams are almost bursting, but all is not lost. Geiger would need two amazing jumps on Wednesday in Bischofshofen. Because the top is now Olympic champion Stoch.
More soon.
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