Ffo Jonas Dobler it was “a small cross-country skiing miracle”, for many others it was possibly even more. Within just one day, German cross-country skiers experienced another great moment in the Slovenian valley of ski jumps. After the women’s silver coup, the men also struck at the Nordic World Ski Championships in Planica.
Third place in the prestigious 4×10 kilometer relay turned Albert Kuchler, Janosch Brugger, Jonas Dobler and Friedrich Moch into a splendid community of success in one fell swoop. “It was a dance on the razor blade,” said Dobler after the one and a half hour race. “We had to risk everything, but we couldn’t overreact at the same time.”
It was clear that series winner Norway would teach all other nations another lesson and ultimately sovereignly make the next grab for gold after 1:32:54.7 hours. But the fact that the German quartet from an interim four-way battle for bronze, a duel with France and final runner Moch perfected the “cross-country miracle” has not happened in this form for twelve years.
59.8 seconds behind Johannes Hoesflot Kläbo, with the Norwegian flag stretched around his shoulder, Moch crossed the finish line of the cross-country arena, which was mainly visited by many Norwegian spectators, to the cheers of his competitors. Second was Finland, 13 seconds faster than Team Germany.
“Tear down the house at the party in the evening”
The last time a German cross-country relay team won bronze was at the 2011 World Championships. At that time, Axel Teichmann was still part of the quartet, today he pulls the strings together with team manager Peter Schlickenrieder and the other coaches and technicians. After third place, Kuchler spoke of “madness, because for each of us it’s the first medal ever”. For Moch and his three comrades-in-arms there was no question: “Today a dream came true.” Brugger found it “simply unbelievable” what happened around noon in the Julian Alps. And everyone thought it was “a great pity that the television was not there live at this race, in which we put on an exciting show”.
The big moment: Friedrich Moch celebrates crossing the finish line
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Image: EPA
Anyone who was there live in Planica saw a German quartet that was perfectly positioned and set up and went into the race with an extra portion of self-confidence, drive and persuasiveness. The success of the women the previous day had apparently inspired the men, and when Schlickenrieder issued the slogan later after the coup, “that you can demolish the house at the party in the evening,” they just smiled.
In the hour of another great success, team manager Schlickenrieder took the opportunity to state: “We’re there too, we can do something.” second and third row motivated”.
Looking up at the kings of the trail, who run in a different league and were already uncatchable by first runner Hans Christer Holund, Schlickenrieder said: “The path is not unreachable. But at some point we will beat Norway,” predicted the 53-year-old. When asked by the FAZ, he specified his dream: “Maybe in ten years.”
