Nico Ihle has completely messed up the start into the home World Cup in Erfurt. Three weeks before the start of the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang (9. till 25. February) the vice-world champion made two technical mistakes at the start of the 500 m race and did not beat the 17th place in 35.62 seconds. Place out.
“It’s a pity I’ve hooked into the tip of the skate twice. I almost fell and had to reorganize myself. I didn’t have enough speed,”said Ihle on ARD.
The victory went to the Russian world record holder Pavel Kulishnikov, who relegated Michel Mulder (Netherlands/35.08) and fellow countryman Artijom Kusnezow (35.10) to the places in 35.03 seconds. World champion Jan Smeekens (Netherlands) had cancelled his start on Friday because of stomach problems.
Before the start of the race, Ihle was concentrated on the inner track of the Gunda-Niemann-Forrnemann-Halle. Immediately after the starting signal, however, the Chemnitzer got into trouble, at the end of the first straight line he had only difficulty in keeping on his feet. On the back straight he had to let Kulischnikow pass and lost time again.
Ihle has the chance to make amends in the second 500 m run on Sunday. In addition, the 32-year-old rider will start twice over 1000 m at the weekend.
Unlike Ihle, the German sprinters finished in top 10 places, with Judith Dannhauer (Erfurt) finishing seventh in 38.56 seconds and scoring her best World Cup result in just under three years. Gabriele Hirschbichler (Inzell) finished tenth in 38.96 seconds.
In the absence of Japanese series winner Nao Kodaira and world record holder Lee Sang Hwa from South Korea, Karolina Erbanova (Czech Republic/37.82) secured the victory. Vanessa Herzog (Austria/37.92) and Angelina Golikowa (Russia/38.10) completed the podium.
The women’s race over 1000 m took place without German participation. In the B-group over 1500 m, local hero Patrick Beckert finished fourth in 1:48,82 minutes as best German.