Italy’s Tommaso Giacomel had the third fastest time in prone, but after also acing standing brilliantly fast, took the lead and held it for a 23:04.5 win in this morning’s Hochfilzen Men’s 10 Km Sprint. The perfect-shooting win today was the second of Giacomel’s career and his first-ever sprint victory.

“The sprint…fits me best”

The 25-year-old Giacomel who won the IBU Blue Bib (under 23) title two years ago, is admittedly a fan of the sprint. “This is special. I think the sprint is the race that fits me the most, but I did not manage to win one yet, so I’m really happy to claim the win today. Hochfilzen is such a difficult sprint, so difficult to grab the gaps on the skis, because the tracks are really fast. I had to get the difference in shooting and I managed to do that today. I am just really happy.”

“I wanted to win”

Giacomel’s extremely aggressive and fast 17-second standing stage sealed the victory that moved him to third in the World Cup Total Score. “In biathlon, you need to have big balls and I think I had them today because I was just fearless in standing. I wanted to win; I did not want a podium. I knew if I wanted to win, I had to be super-fast.”

France’s Eric Perrot recorded his first podium of the new season, also shooting clean in second, . 4 seconds back. Germany’s Philipp Horn, also perfect on a windless day finished with the first World Cup podium of his career in third, 6 seconds back. Horn’s previous career best came almost one year ago when he finished fourth in the Annecy Le Grand Bornand Sprint.

Yellow/Red Bib Johan-Olav Botn and Sturla Holm Laegreid of Norway both shot clean in fourth and fifth, 9.1 and 23 seconds back. Sweden’s Martin Ponsiluoma, with one penalty finished with a season best sixth place, 25 seconds back.

Sunshine!

Hochfilzen greeted the competitors with sunshine, +5 warmth and virtually windless conditions, a stark contrast to the darkness and deep winter of Oestersund. Ponsiluoma and Giacomel challenged prone leader Emilien Jacquelin going out just 5 seconds slower. The Yellow Bib and Laegreid cleaned 9 and 12 seconds back. Perrot challenged, closing his five targets, 4 seconds slower than Giacomel.

Fast Standing and the Lead

Giacomel’s blindingly fast standing put him atop the field. Botn and Laegreid both closed their five standing targets slowly, leaving 14 and 18 seconds in arrears. Horn threw his hat into the ring with his second perfect stage, 13 seconds behind, while Perrot stayed close, 7 seconds back.

The young Italian held his lead over the last loop for the win. Horn had a strong last loop, getting ahead of Botn, but Perrot closed out the last loop very fast, pushing Horn to third.

Photos: IBU/Walter, Nordic Focus