MOSCOW, December 16 (R-Sport) – Germany’s Andreas Birnbacher grabbed the gold in the first mass start race of the season at the Slovenian round of the Biathlon World Cup on Sunday.
Birnbacher topped the podium for the second time this season and rose to the third place in the overall standings, 99 points adrift of leader Martin Fourcade of France, who finished fourth.
The German was flawless at the range and covered the 15 km race 18 seconds faster than the local favorite Jakov Fak, who added second place to his triumph in the Thursday’s sprint.
Tim Burke of the United States came third, five second behind Fak, both of them missing two shots.
Despite his fourth place, reigning champion Fourcade extended his lead in the overall standings from the second-placed Emil Hegle Svendsen of Norway to 85 points.
Saturday saw Svendsen take the victory in the men’s pursuit.
The third stage of the World Cup will finish later Sunday with the women’s mass start.
