Biathlon at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Men's individual

The Men's 20 kilometre individual biathlon competition at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy was held on 11 February, at Cesana San Sicario.[1]

Men's biathlon individual
at the XX Olympic Winter Games
Men's biathlon 20 km individual final
VenueCesana San Sicario
Dates11 February
Competitors88 from 34 nations
Winning time54:23.0
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Michael Greis  Germany
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Ole Einar Bjørndalen  Norway
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Halvard Hanevold  Norway
← 2002
2010 →

The individual race consisted of five laps around a four kilometre loop with four stops at the shooting range. During each shooting section, each biathlete fired five shots at five targets. Misses resulted in penalties of one minute per miss being added to the time for the course. The first and third shooting sections were conducted in the prone position, while the second and fourth were done standing. A total of 88 biathletes competed, starting with a staggered start and 30 seconds behind each competitor.[2]

Michael Greis of Germany hit 19 of the 20 targets and used a net time of 54:23.0 (with one penalty minute) to clinch the gold medal, 16 seconds ahead of Norway's Ole Einar Bjørndalen. Norway also won the bronze medal, with Halvard Hanevold beating Sergei Tchepikov by 0.8 seconds despite two penalty minutes to the Russian's one.

The previous year's trial World Cup event at this track saw Michael Greis of Germany win the event in a time of 53:18.7.[3] At the 2005 World Championships in Hochfilzen, Austria, the Czech Roman Dostál won,[4] while Ole Einar Bjørndalen was the defending Olympic champion, as he was in all the other men's events (except the mass start, which is held for the first time at the Olympics). However, neither Bjørndalen (9th) nor Dostal (33rd) headed the men's individual World Cup standings—the German Michael Greis did.[5]

The event started with early starters Ricco Groß (Germany, started as number 4) and Pavel Rostovtsev (Russia, 1) shooting well, missing one and two of their 20 shots respectively; Groß suffered his missed shot on the last of the four shootings. However, their cross-country times were not good enough, as Rene Vuillermoz (Italy, 13) beat Groß by 14 seconds on the first loop. With only one miss in his first 15 shots, Vuillermoz could have taken the lead if he had hit all five targets on the final shooting. However, he missed three times and eventually finished 25th. Maxim Tchoudov (Russia, 14) led after two loops, 28 seconds ahead of Groß, but had spoiled his chance with three missed shots. By that time, many of the best skiers had started, with Greis (38) coming into the third shooting after one miss on the second. He hit five targets, and went out in the second best time, 12 seconds behind Marek Matiasko (Slovakia, 21), who was yet to miss a shot. Meanwhile, the defending champion Bjørndalen (54) had missed once on each of the first two shootings, and when all had passed the second loop he was 15th.[2]

However, Bjørndalen completed the third loop quickly, and with five hits he cut Greis' lead from 39 to 23 seconds just before Greis was to shoot his fourth shooting. Greis did not miss, and with the leader Matiasko conceding one penalty minute, Greis took the lead nearly a minute ahead of second-placed Julien Robert (France, 35), who had not missed a single shot. Some other late starters visited the top ten after the first loops, such as Sven Fischer (Germany, 63) and Zdeněk Vítek (Czech Republic, 67) but vanished, and there were only four others who could beat Greis' skiing speed. Except for Bjørndalen, all of the previous had started before him, but missed too many shots to compete; however, Bjørndalen had caught 37 seconds on the first 12 km, and needed a further 23. Thus, Bjørndalen was the only threat, and though Bjørndalen hit all five targets on the final shooting, he struggled with loading the rifle before the final shot. He later said he lost "7-8 seconds" on the error.[6] Thus, Bjørndalen did not beat the German in the fourth loop, and though he cut a further seven seconds off Greis' time in the final loop, it was only enough to take the silver. The late starting Halvard Hanevold (Norway, 74), shot down the last 10 targets to jump from 28th place after two loops to a fourth place after the fourth, with third-placed Robert eight seconds ahead with two penalty minutes less. Hanevold had no problems with catching Robert on the final lap, ending nearly half a minute ahead, but lost seconds to Sergei Tchepikov (Russia, 28), who improved all the way through the course.[2] Eventually, his 6.3-second lead after the fourth loop turned into 0.8 seconds in goal; it was enough, though, and Hanevold could celebrate his second Olympic medal on the individual event. Jay Hakkinen become the first American to finish in the Top 10 ever in the Winter Olympic biathlon with his 10th-place finish.

Results edit

One Austrian athlete was disqualified after the IOC determined they had violated the Anti-Doping rules; Wolfgang Perner had originally placed 60th.[7]

The race was held at 13:00.[8]

Rank Bib Name Country Result Penalties (P+S+P+S) Deficit
  38 Michael Greis   Germany 54:23.0 1 (0+1+0+0)
  57 Ole Einar Bjørndalen   Norway 54:39.0 2 (1+1+0+0) +16.0
  74 Halvard Hanevold   Norway 55:31.9 2 (1+1+0+0) +1:08.9
4 28 Sergei Tchepikov   Russia 55:32.7 1 (1+0+0+0) +1:09.7
5 21 Marek Matiaško   Slovakia 55:48.6 1 (0+0+0+1) +1:25.6
6 35 Julien Robert   France 55:59.4 0 (0+0+0+0) +1:36.4
7 54 Christian De Lorenzi   Italy 56:04.0 1 (0+0+0+1) +1:41.0
8 22 Ivan Tcherezov   Russia 56:05.7 2 (1+0+0+1) +1:42.7
9 66 Wilfried Pallhuber   Italy 56:08.4 1 (1+0+0+0) +1:45.4
10 31 Jay Hakkinen   United States 56:10.9 3 (2+0+1+0) +1:47.9
11 4 Ricco Groß   Germany 56:14.3 1 (0+0+0+1) +1:51.3
12 8 Paavo Puurunen   Finland 56:38.9 1 (1+0+0+0) +2:15.9
13 1 Pavel Rostovtsev   Russia 56:47.2 2 (1+0+0+1) +2:24.2
14 52 Kyoji Suga   Japan 56:57.7 1 (1+0+0+0) +2:34.7
15 48 Frode Andresen   Norway 57:10.2 3 (1+1+1+0) +2:47.2
16 64 Stian Eckhoff   Norway 57:11.8 3 (2+0+0+1) +2:48.8
17 63 Sven Fischer   Germany 57:14.3 3 (1+0+1+1) +2:51.3
18 61 Ruslan Lysenko   Ukraine 57:16.6 1 (0+1+0+0) +2:53.6
19 15 Ilmārs Bricis   Latvia 57:19.2 4 (1+1+0+2) +2:56.2
20 9 Raphaël Poirée   France 57:21.1 3 (2+0+1+0) +2:58.1
21 19 Tomasz Sikora   Poland 57:22.1 3 (1+1+1+0) +2:59.1
22 67 Zdeněk Vítek   Czech Republic 57:26.8 3 (0+1+1+1) +3:03.8
23 5 Carl Johan Bergman   Sweden 57:30.9 3 (1+1+0+1) +3:07.9
24 6 Sergey Novikov   Belarus 58:02.6 3 (0+1+0+2) +3:39.6
25 13 Rene Laurent Vuillermoz   Italy 58:17.9 4 (0+1+0+3) +3:54.9
26 70 Friedrich Pinter   Austria 58:25.7 1 (0+0+0+1) +4:02.7
27 79 Lowell Bailey   United States 58:45.1 3 (2+1+0+0) +4:22.1
28 58 Björn Ferry   Sweden 58:49.0 4 (1+2+0+1) +4:26.0
29 56 Pavol Hurajt   Slovakia 58:49.6 3 (0+1+0+2) +4:26.6
30 59 Roman Dostál   Czech Republic 58:53.5 4 (1+2+0+1) +4:30.5
31 43 Simon Fourcade   France 59:01.7 3 (1+0+0+2) +4:38.7
32 14 Maxim Tchoudov   Russia 59:12.0 5 (0+0+3+2) +4:49.0
33 81 Tomáš Holubec   Czech Republic 59:13.1 2 (1+1+0+0) +4:50.1
34 2 Vincent Defrasne   France 59:16.1 6 (3+1+0+2) +4:53.1
35 83 David Ekholm   Sweden 59:18.2 2 (0+1+0+1) +4:55.2
36 3 Robin Clegg   Canada 59:21.5 2 (1+0+0+1) +4:58.5
37 55 Jānis Bērziņš   Latvia 59:24.3 2 (0+2+0+0) +5:01.3
38 89 Miroslav Matiaško   Slovakia 59:43.8 3 (3+0+0+0) +5:20.8
39 47 Andriy Deryzemlya   Ukraine 59:47.2 3 (3+0+0+0) +5:24.2
40 33 Janez Marič   Slovenia 59:53.0 5 (2+2+1+0) +5:30.0
41 20 Ludwig Gredler   Austria 59:55.1 3 (0+3+0+0) +5:32.1
42 41 Michael Rösch   Germany 59:56.6 6 (2+0+1+3) +5:33.6
43 46 Vladimir Drachev   Belarus 59:59.5 4 (1+1+0+2) +5:36.5
44 68 Mattias Nilsson Jr.   Sweden 1:00:01.1 5 (0+2+3+0) +5:38.1
45 18 Michal Šlesingr   Czech Republic 1:00:03.8 5 (1+0+2+2) +5:40.8
46 86 Rustam Valiullin   Belarus 1:00:04.1 5 (2+1+0+2) +5:41.1
47 51 Matjaž Poklukar   Slovenia 1:00:07.6 3 (0+1+1+1) +5:44.6
48 77 Jean Philippe Leguellec   Canada 1:00:28.0 3 (1+0+0+2) +6:05.0
49 32 Olexander Bilanenko   Ukraine 1:00:28.6 3 (2+1+0+0) +6:05.6
50 24 Zhang Chengye   China 1:00:49.1 7 (1+4+1+1) +6:26.1
51 73 Jeremy Teela   United States 1:01:03.3 5 (1+0+1+3) +6:40.3
52 44 Matthias Simmen   Switzerland 1:01:04.9 5 (2+0+0+3) +6:41.9
53 23 Wiesław Ziemianin   Poland 1:01:16.0 4 (2+0+1+1) +6:53.0
54 82 Oleksiy Korobeinikov   Ukraine 1:01:17.8 4 (0+2+1+1) +6:54.8
55 87 Paolo Longo   Italy 1:01:27.9 5 (0+2+1+2) +7:04.9
56 76 Dušan Šimočko   Slovakia 1:01:37.8 4 (1+0+2+1) +7:14.8
57 49 Tom Clemens   Great Britain 1:01:43.9 4 (0+1+1+2) +7:20.9
58 42 Tim Burke   United States 1:01:55.0 7 (3+3+1+0) +7:32.0
59 60 Daniel Mesotitsch   Austria 1:01:59.7 5 (1+3+0+1) +7:36.7
60 80 Klemen Bauer   Slovenia 1:02:25.5 5 (0+1+3+1) +8:02.5
61 25 Vitaly Rudenchik   Bulgaria 1:02:30.0 6 (0+3+1+2) +8:07.0
62 45 Roland Lessing   Estonia 1:02:31.2 5 (3+0+1+1) +8:08.2
63 7 Hidenori Isa   Japan 1:02:33.2 6 (1+1+2+2) +8:10.2
64 50 David Leoni   Canada 1:02:37.8 6 (0+2+3+1) +8:14.8
65 16 Marian Blaj   Romania 1:02:38.8 6 (0+3+2+1) +8:15.8
66 75 Indrek Tobreluts   Estonia 1:02:43.6 5 (1+2+1+1) +8:20.6
67 65 Tatsumi Kasahara   Japan 1:02:44.6 5 (2+1+0+2) +8:21.6
68 84 Kristaps Lībietis   Latvia 1:03:13.4 4 (2+1+1+0) +8:50.4
69 71 Janez Ožbolt   Slovenia 1:03:18.5 5 (2+2+0+1) +8:55.5
70 10 Dimitri Borovik   Estonia 1:03:25.8 5 (2+1+2+0) +9:02.8
71 72 Alexandre Syman   Belarus 1:03:31.4 7 (2+3+1+1) +9:08.4
72 62 Grzegorz Bodziana   Poland 1:03:39.6 5 (0+2+1+2) +9:16.6
73 11 Alexsandr Chervyhkov   Kazakhstan 1:03:56.4 6 (1+3+1+1) +9:33.4
74 88 Priit Viks   Estonia 1:04:08.1 5 (2+2+0+1) +9:45.1
75 53 Krzysztof Pływaczyk   Poland 1:04:12.9 4 (1+0+2+1) +9:49.9
76 37 Simon Hallenbarter   Switzerland 1:04:37.0 8 (3+1+1+3) +10:14.0
77 34 Imre Tagscherer   Hungary 1:05:11.1 7 (1+3+1+2) +10:48.1
78 85 Shinya Saito   Japan 1:05:29.4 8 (2+2+3+1) +11:06.4
79 69 Edgars Piksons   Latvia 1:06:12.5 7 (4+1+1+1) +11:49.5
80 12 Luis Alberto Hernando   Spain 1:06:54.4 7 (2+2+0+3) +12:31.4
81 39 Park Yun-bae   South Korea 1:07:03.4 6 (0+3+2+1) +12:40.4
82 36 Cameron Morton   Australia 1:07:03.7 7 (1+2+1+3) +12:40.7
83 30 Miro Ćosić   Bosnia and Herzegovina 1:08:32.7 7 (1+3+1+2) +14:09.7
84 17 Sebastian Beltrame   Argentina 1:09:24.3 9 (1+2+4+2) +15:01.3
85 27 Aleksandar Milenković   Serbia and Montenegro 1:10:36.3 9 (1+3+1+4) +16:13.3
86 29 Marco Zúñiga   Chile 1:11:02.5 5 (1+1+1+2) +16:39.5
87 40 Stavros Christoforidis   Greece 1:13:13.3 11 (4+2+1+4) +18:50.3
26 Mihail Gribusencov   Moldova Did not start
DSQ 78 Wolfgang Perner   Austria 1:02:22.5 5 (1+2+1+1) +7:59.5

References edit

  1. ^ "Biathlon at the 2006 Torino Winter Games: Men's 20 kilometres". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "Torino 2006 Official Report - Biathlon" (PDF). Torino Organizing Committee. LA84 Foundation. March 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-06-12. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
  3. ^ E.ON-Ruhrgas World Cup 7 - Torino - Cesana San Sicario (ITA) Men 20 km Individual Final Results Archived July 11, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, from biathlonworld.com, retrieved 19 January 2006
  4. ^ (in Norwegian) (ed) Tore Johansen, Egil Svendsby Sportsboken 2005, pg. 225, Chr. Schibsteds Forlag 2005. ISBN 82-516-2168-2.
  5. ^ World Cup Individual Score Men Standings after 2 of 3 competitions Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, from biathlonworld.com, retrieved 19 January 2006
  6. ^ (in Norwegian) Gull til Greis, by Sjur B. Kvamme, published by NRK on 11 February 2006
  7. ^ "Torino 2006: Six Austrian Athletes Declared Permanently Ineligible". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
  8. ^ Final results