Francesco Friedrich can no longer win a two-man bobsleigh World Cup race on his home track either. On Saturday, the Pirna native and push athlete Thorsten Margis had to admit defeat to European champion Adam Ammour, who raced with Costa Laurenz from Wiesbaden. With the best time in the second run, the man from Oberhof overtook the two-time double Olympic champion, who was 0.18 seconds behind, with a total time of 1:51.41 minutes. South Korea's Jinsu Kim finished third.
In the overall World Cup, Friedrich took the lead from World Champion Johannes Lochner, who did not start this time. Christoph Hafer from BC Bad Feilnbach/Eintracht Frankfurt, who was nominated to replace Lochner, finished in sixth place with Matthias Sommer from Winterberg.
Lochner from Berchtesgaden had to withdraw from the race, as did Switzerland's Michael Vogt, after the serious training crashes in the four-man bobsleigh. Lochner and his crew are now feeling better again. After four World Cup victories in six races, the Bavarian gave the all-clear with a view to the World Championships in Winterberg next week.
Friedrich last won a two-man World Cup in Park City on December 2, 2022.