Large Hill / 10 km, Individual, Men

In the individual large hill German’s Eric Frenzel was the favorite as well, but he became ill during Sochi and could not play the same role as in the normal hill competition. He eventually finished 10th as he could not join the final sprint, although he again led the jumping with 139.5 metres. When the 10 km were started, the leading group soon was built from several potential winners including Jørgen Graabak, Magnus Krog, Magnus Moan from Norway, the Germans Fabian Rießle, Björn Kircheisen and Johannes Rydzek, Austrian Bernhard Gruber, Japan’s Akito Watabe and Jason Lamy-Chappuis from France.

The closer the group came to the stadium, the harder the attacks were pushed. The three Germans led the group into the stadium looking like clear winners if they could only run aside one another to block the Norwegians from getting through. But in the penultimate turn Rießle and Rydzek touched each other and the Norwegians ran through the small gap, with Graabak claiming gold and Moan taking silver. Germany’s Rießle could only save the bronze medal, as Kircheisen was left with fourth place in his final competition as he was retiring after Sochi.