Winter Olympics 2022 - Vinzenz Geiger wins gold in Nordic combined normal hill after thrilling sprint finish
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Updated 09/02/2022 at 11:56 GMT
Johannes Rydzek looked set for gold and guaranteed a medal as he led the Nordic combined normal hill heading into the final loop. But the final 14m rise killed off the German's challenge as the chasing pack reeled in the leaders, with Vinzenz Geiger, who began the race in 11th, flying into first to steal gold.
Vinzenz Geiger - Germany
Image credit: Getty Images
Vinzenz Geiger won a brilliant gold in the Nordic combined individual normal hill, stealing first in a thrilling sprint finish.
The German 24-year-old adds to the gold he won in the Nordic combined team relay in Pyeongchang in 2018, reeling in favourite Johannes Ryzdek and recovering from a one-minute and 26-second deficit to win
Norway's Joergen Graabak grabbed silver at the death, with Austria's Lukas Greiderer fighting back for bronze after losing an early lead.
Ryota Yamamoto, who topped the leaderboard after the ski jumping competition, finished 14th after he was reeled in by the chasing pack.
Geiger was part of the chasing pack for the first nine kilometres of the race as countryman Ryzdek looked set for gold.
Greiderer, Julian Schmid, Rydzek and Yamamoto established themselves at the front of the pack after the first loop, with Rydzek leading the pack at the halfway point.
Yamamoto did brilliantly to stick with the pack but struggled to maintain his efforts in the second half of the race, slipping away from the top three and into the chasing pack.
Ryzdek sacrificed his lead to compatriot Schmid in the third lap as the two helped each other fend off Austrian Greiderer, but Schmid eventually slipped away into the chasing pack, leaving Ryzdek and Greiderer at the front with the chasers still 30 seconds behind.
Greiderer dropped off as Ryzdek looked set for gold, but the 14m rise in the final loop saw Ryzdek fall off the podium altogether as the chasing pack reeled in the early leaders.
Geiger, Graabak, Greiderer and World Cup leader Johannes Lampater each flew past an exhausted Ryzdek to finish in the top four.
Defending champion Eric Frenzel and medal hopeful Jarl Magnus Riiber sat out the event after isolating due to Covid-19, while Terence Weber, who trained on Tuesday, had to return to isolation after producing a high CT level.
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