It is now official: Sturla Holm Laegreid and overall World Cup leader Johan-Olav Botn will miss the upcoming races in Oberhof, Germany.
This is bad news for the Norwegian biathlon team. Both athletes are dealing with illness and do not feel ready to compete, the Norwegian Biathlon Federation confirmed in a statement released on Saturday.
For Sturla Holm Laegreid, the holiday period was particularly demanding:
“It was a tough Christmas, to say the least. I was exhausted both physically and mentally,” he told NRK.
Suffering from sinusitis that kept him confined to the couch on Christmas Eve, Laegreid added:
“The loss of Sivert has been terrible, but my thoughts are first and foremost with his family and those who were with him in Lavazè. I’m feeling better now and hope to be back in good shape for Ruhpolding.”
The situation is even more difficult for Johan-Olav Botn. The current overall World Cup leader after eight races is dealing with a personal tragedy, having been the one who found his friend Sivert Guttorm Bakken lifeless in a hotel room in Italy during the holidays.
Botn, who is also slightly ill, had already stated that he intended to attend the funeral rather than travel to Oberhof.
The absence of both athletes will have a major impact on the overall standings and, at the same time, offers a significant opportunity for Eric Perrot, Tommaso Giacomel and Sebastian Samuelsson.
Following Laegreid’s withdrawal, Sverre Dahlen Aspenes and Martin Nevland have been called up to the Norwegian team for Oberhof. For Nevland, this will mark his World Cup debut.
National team coach Per Arne Botnan emphasized the special circumstances surrounding this stage:
“This weekend will be different for all of us. The most important thing now is to take care of one another and ensure that the athletes have a safe and positive experience after a very difficult Christmas period.”
