Janine Flock in Lillehammer: On the way to her third overall victory!

Janine Flock in Lillehammer: On the way to her third overall victory!

The Skeleton World Cup finals and European Championships begin in Lillehammer, Norway on Friday, with Austrian skeleton rider Janine Flock starting as the overall leader. The 35-year-old Tyrolean leads the World Cup with 1,390 points and could secure her third overall victory after 2015 and 2021. After an impressive season with two wins and five more podiums, Flock has the opportunity to win medal number 12 at the European Championships laola1.at reported. The women's race starts at 1 p.m. and the excitement is already palpable.

Meanwhile, her teammate Samuel Maier returns after a two-week period of illness that included influenza and mild pneumonia. Maier, who is fourth overall in the World Cup, is optimistic about his return. “The training worked well, I feel fresh in my head,” explained the 25-year-old, who quickly got back on his feet with his mental training and the support of antibiotics. His goal is to implement the training achievements in competition, as well janine-flock.at reported. Together with Flock and Alexander Schlintner, who starts the race with starting number 17, Maier forms the strong Austrian trio.

The challenge in the race

Janine Flock emphasizes that she has to stay focused and calm in order to overcome the challenge ahead. “I should never assume that it is a mowed meadow,” says Flock, who is preparing to go into the decisive races full of excitement. Her teammate Alexander Schlintner also sees the competition as important preparation for the European Cup, which is coming up next week and where a place at the World Championships is at stake. The Olympic track in Lillehammer will thus become the scene of crucial competitions in which the best athletes in the world will compete.