Eisenbichler's ten-year tour series comes to an end
For more than ten years, former world champion Markus Eisenbichler has competed in every opening round of the Four Hills Tournament. This time he will be missing: There is no room in the German ski jumping team due to his poor form.
For the first time since 2012, former world champion Markus Eisenbichler will be missing from the start of the Four Hills Tournament. As confirmed by the German Ski Association, Andreas Wellinger, Karl Geiger, Pius Paschke, Stephan Leyhe and Philipp Raimund will be competing in the first competition in Oberstdorf on December 29. There is no national group, so national coach Stefan Horngacher only has five places available.
The out-of-form Eisenbichler has not yet competed in the World Cup this winter and has also fallen short of expectations in the second-tier Continental Cup. The six-time World Champion finished second behind Japan's Ryoyu Kobayashi in the 2018/19 tour, two years ago he came fifth.
Martin Hamann, who previously competed in the World Cup, will also have to watch on as the team will be reduced from six to five places. "Unfortunately, I will only be able to watch the start of the Four Hills Tournament on TV. I will then join the team as part of the national group at the New Year's competition in Garmisch," Hamann wrote on sport.de.
Geiger sees six DSV eagles with chances of top placings
On New Year's Day, the 32-year-old Eisenbichler could also be part of the extended German team, but will have to prove himself at the Continental Cup competitions in Engelberg/Switzerland on December 27/28. The DSV is allowed to enter an additional national group for two home competitions per season, but does not always choose the two tour competitions for this. In Innsbruck (January 3) and Bischofshofen (January 6), Horngacher will have to reduce the size of his team again. Only a top result in Garmisch-Partenkirchen would allow Eisenbichler to compete at the Austrian venues.
Meanwhile, team colleague Geiger sees six DSV eagles with a chance of top placings at the Four Hills Tournament. "I would go so far as to say that all six of us from the World Cup team have the potential for a podium finish - in addition to myself, Andi Wellinger, Pius Paschke, Stephan Leyhe, Martin Hamann and Philipp Raimund," the 30-year-old told "Sport Bild".
For five-time world champion Geiger, however, the first contender for the golden eagle is an Austrian. "The top favorite is definitely Stefan Kraft. But the German team is more diverse than ever before," he said. Kraft has won five of the eight competitions this winter, the others went to Geiger (2) and Pius Paschke. In the overall World Cup, Kraft is ahead of Wellinger (2nd), Paschke (3rd) and Geiger (4th), while Leyhe (10th), Raimund (18th) and Hamann (27th) are also well in the running.
The last German overall winner is still Sven Hannawald, who even won all four competitions in 2001/02. "Of course the pressure is great. But we haven't done that much wrong when you see how often we've come second. I was also within striking distance of winning the tour for four years. Unfortunately, the momentum wasn't on our side. It just went badly," said Geiger.
Read also:
- NFL kicker out injured, then something unbelievable happens!
- Taylor Swift talks about love for her NFL star
- Crazy victory in the NFL top game
- NFL star breaks referee's leg
Despite his six World Championship titles, Markus Eisenbichler has struggled in the current winter sports season and will miss the opening rounds of the Four Hills Tournament due to his poor form. Although he might have a chance to join the extended German team in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, his spot depends on his performance in the Continental Cup competitions in Engelberg/Switzerland. Meanwhile, ski jumper Karl Geiger sees potential for top placings from six DSV eagles at the Four Hills Tournament, including himself, and mentions Stefan Kraft as the top favorite.
Source: www.ntv.de
