After he and Eric Frenzel (GER, Fischer skis, bindings and boots) were spared jumping in very difficult conditions yesterday, Jarl Magnus Riiber got a black day today. When the Norwegian wanted to start as last jumper from the bar, a larger amount of snow and ice broke looseat the top of the hill and slid down the inrun track. After minutes of cleaning the track and two trial jumpers, everything seemed fine, but Riiber had to break off his jump right after the take-off and land much too early. The sovereign World Cup leader hoped to repeat his jump, but was not allowed to do so: "That's a pity for me with my yellow jersey, I was hoping for a second chance." In the cross-country race Jarl Magnus Riiber did not start from 43rd with 2:16 minutes behind.
The young Pole Szczepan Kupczak (POL, Fischer skis, bindings and boots) was lucky with the conditions and was the first to start on the track and save his small lead on the first lap until he was overtaken. The pace was very high on the first two laps, as the first group behind the Pole wanted to keep the second group behind with Jørgen Graabak and Akito Watabe (JPN, Fischer skis, bindings and boots). When the gap was closed, the pace was significantly lower. The decision was made in the last climb before the finish when Fabian Rießle (GER) attacked and Graabak immediately followed. Also Vinzenz Geiger (GER, Fischer skis, bindings and boots) jumped up the mountain powerfully and wanted to follow the others, but his skis got caught and he could only barely avoid a fall. As a result, gaps were opened in the group, so that a trio followed by two other athletes was able to gain a few meters. Johannes Rydzek seemed to be heading for victory, but he had done his job without the Norwegian: Graabak overtook Rießle outside the stadium, then took the most speed in the last corner on the outer track, so that he also outsprinted Rydzek in the final straight. Akito Watabe finished fourth ahead of Vinzenz Geiger and Espen Bjørnstad (NOR, Fischer skis, bindings and boots). Rank seven went to Terence Weber (GER, Fischer skis, bindings and boots) in front of Mario Seidl (AUT, Fischer skis, bindings and boots).
