Biathlonbiathlon world cup
2019 Getty Images
The last choices towards the start of the Austrian stage of the World Cup, with the Sprints scheduled for today. Nelin package for Sweden.
Friday 10 December 2021 3 minutes reading time
A few hours before the start of the weekend on the slopes of Hochfilzen, some of the various national contingents have undergone some substantial changes compared to the Oestersund stage.
Norway is making the big voice, sending Johannes Dale to the IBU Cup, poorly performing on the Swedish snows. A hard blow for the biathlete from Lorenskog who was able to win the sprint just one year ago in the Austrian town. At that juncture he also managed to get on the podium in the pursuit and sprint of the following days. In his place comes Filip Fjeld Andersen, winner in Sjusjoen last week, but above all author of an excellent ninth place in the inaugural sprint of the season.
Among the subjects of King Harald V of Norway is the return of Sturla Holm Laegreid, after a cold remedied last week forced him to skip the chase and the relay. Jesper Nelin is missing at home in Sweden, not in the best of conditions and replaced by Emil Nykvist in today's sprint. There is no good news for the home athletes, who will have to do without Julian Eberhard. The Austrian has sustained a fractured rib caused by a fall in the Ostersund sprint and will have to give way to Lucas Pitzer.
There are also some news among women: Sweden has recalled Stina Nilsson for the stages of Hochfilzen regaining the ticket for the World Cup thanks to the exclusion of Johanna Skottheim. For the former cross-country skier it is the third participation in the highest category (the first outside the home snow). Finally, the latest news comes from Germany with the return to the cup of Franziska Hildebrand, absent since March 2020. The 34-year-old German has achieved nine career podiums as well as being world medal. It is Anna Weidel who pays the price.
Davide Sarti
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Social media engagement
More about Biathlon
Biathlon
Fabio Poncemi, Friday 11 September, 15:40
Biathlon
Fabio Poncemi, Sunday 6 September
Biathlon
Fabio Poncemi, Sunday 6 September
Biathlon
Fabio Poncemi, Wednesday 2 September
Biathlon
Fabio Poncemi, Friday 28 August
Biathlon
Lisa Vittozzi is dominant again in Val Martello: back-to-back, Hofer claims the men’s Pursuit
Fabio Poncemi, Thursday 27 AugustUltimi in Sport invernali
Un anno fa vivevamo il dramma di Matteo Franzoso: a La Parva un incidente che mai sarebbe dovuto accadere
Era il 13 settembre 2025 quando, in quel maledetto sabato mattina in Cile, il velocista ligure finì a velocità elevatissima contro una staccionata, troppo vicina a bordo pista (e ora non più presente per gli allenamenti delle nazionali presenti anche quest'anno nella località). Due giorni dopo, a Santiago, Matteo si spense.
2