Dzhima is back in action, reminiscing about the "duel" between Pidhrushna and Dahlmeier. Here’s a preview of the World Cup stage in Ruhpolding.
The program is intriguing yet somewhat prolonged. The most sought-after event of the season is back – the individual race! After a marathon, athletes usually need a break, which is why the time frame for this stage has been extended. Classic relays will return, along with the discipline for the thirty strongest biathletes – the mass start! It's particularly delightful that Ukrainians are always present in this event. We begin our traditional preview with the men's team, as it currently stands as the showcase of Ukrainian biathlon.
"Retirement Reform" of Coach Sanitra
Anyone who had written off Dmytro Pidhrushnyi to a well-deserved biathlon retirement should now feel somewhat awkward. The 33-year-old biathlete participated in the previous stage in Oberhof with great energy. He nearly clinched a medal in the sprint and proudly finished in the top six of the pursuit. Now he has what could be considered a "green card" from the head coach of the national team, Nadiya Belova.
7It’s encouraging that this isn’t just a coincidence. His successes are not due to the failure of the leaders (which can happen). Dmytro is simply in excellent shape. Those who watched the broadcasts noticed – the biathlete runs confidently, maintains his pace without struggle, and appears self-assured. This instills confidence. Dmytro has regained his "crown" – he successfully distributes his energy throughout the distance, while in the final lap, his competitors can only choke on the snow dust behind him.
Before Ruhpolding, Pidhrushnyi holds the 14th position in the overall World Cup standings. However, the stage will start with the individual race, which the biathlete openly dislikes and rarely excels at. But! He finished the first "individual" of the season in tenth place, surpassing himself. Why not break his own record in Ruhpolding!?
Internally, Dmytro and his personal coach Yuriy Sanitra are clearly gearing up for battle in the mass start, where they feel like pike in a river. The Ukrainian has already qualified for this race thanks to his achievements this season. Even a failure in the "individual" won’t strip him of his right to start. However, it’s essential to understand that maintaining such a high performance throughout the season is quite challenging. A decline will undoubtedly occur at some point, but let’s hope it won’t be in Ruhpolding. And let's remember, the athlete and coach have built their training with an eye on the 2026 Olympics.
Relay – a bittersweet sauce for Mandzyn
Vitaliy Mandzyn is likely subconsciously looking forward to the relay in Ruhpolding. Put yourself in his shoes, and you’ll understand how much he craves satisfaction after a disappointing failure. That failure came during the mixed relay stage, where he shot too many extra rounds, and the team couldn't compete for high positions. We suspect that this local setback was not due to a lack of skill but rather a lack of experience in competition, although that too is part of skill.
To look ahead, one must glance back. Our theory is that feeling capable of competing with the "monsters," Vitaliy chased after them, and they "carried" the young athlete at a breakneck speed, leading him to shoot poorly. This is especially significant considering how difficult it is to shoot in Oberhof with its windy conditions. The coaches will certainly explain everything again, and the biathlete will draw conclusions once more. He will undoubtedly have more opportunities to shine in relays throughout his career. The key is to keep a cool head while his heart always burns with passion.
9In individual races, Vitaliy demonstrates what he has trained everyone to expect – consistency. Finishing 17th in the sprint and 20th in the pursuit is a solid performance. His 20th position in the world "total" allows Mandzyn to qualify for the mass start again. However, there’s still the "individual" ahead, where he must not falter! By the way, he achieved his highest result of the season and career in this discipline in Kontiolahti – 4th place! So in Ruhpolding, Mandzyn will continue his quest for the "small crystal globe" in this discipline.
The athlete himself stated – he is ready to compete with the world leaders, but he still has a lot to train. Furthermore, Mandzyn's battle for the blue bib of the leader (awarded to the best in the under-23 age category at the end of the season) is still ongoing.
Dudchenko is accurate but not fast
Anton Dudchenko did not shine in Oberhof. He struggled in the sprint, shot well in the single mixed relay but did not impress on skis. How he will perform in Ruhpolding remains a mystery. However, the experienced biathlete is needed by the team in the relay. We also know that he can excel in the individual race. This is also a fight for the mass start. Dudchenko is currently in the non-qualifying 30th position in the world rankings, but a high finish in the marathon will allow him to qualify through an additional quota (the top five athletes of the current stage, meaning one race in Ruhpolding). In the first individual race of the season in Kontiolahti, Dudchenko finished 15th. Hope is there!
0Taras Lesyuk remains in the team mix. He scored points in the sprint and pursuit of the fourth stage. In Ruhpolding, he will aim to at least perform as well as before. Whether he will make the relay lineup will be known later. The path to the mass start is theoretically still open, but to achieve that, he must perform very well in the "individual".
Bohdan Tsymbal is also on the entry list for the stage. He was in Oberhof but did not start. Bohdan still struggles to display his full potential. However, Ruhpolding will reveal more. Overall, the men's team composition for the fifth stage remains unchanged. The equality of the team will be assessed, including in the relay, for which that equality is currently lacking for a successful performance. Overall, according to head coach Nadiya Belova, the negative aspect is the quota of four athletes for the race, which leaves little room for rotation. The main goal for the season, according to Belova, is the World and European Championships.
Dzhima was ill
The most successful biathlete of the team, Yuliya Dzhima, was the biggest "disappointment" of the previous stage. However, we understand that this occurred due to factors beyond her control. Yulia earned a good position in the sprint (14th place) in Oberhof, but due to health issues, she could not start in the pursuit and mixed relays.
1Falling out of the process for even a few days has never made anyone stronger, so predicting how the most titled biathlete will perform in Ruhpolding is challenging. Although there will be a "Yuliya" race at the stage - the individual... The chances of making it to the mass start are excellent. Currently, the Ukrainian is in 21st place in the overall World Cup standings.
Dmytrenko learned from her break
Kristina Dmytrenko's results have somewhat declined. However, it seems that the biathlete herself knows the reason behind this. The home New Year holidays emotionally charged her but took a toll on her physically. Even quality shooting did not allow her to compete for higher positions in Oberhof. This is certainly within the capabilities of the 25-year-old biathlete.
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