Overview
- The men’s sprint began with a tribute to Bakken: start number 1 was left unused, the gate opened to an empty course, a minute of applause followed a memorial film, and athletes wore black armbands.
- Italy’s Tommaso Giacomel took the 10 km sprint by 13.2 seconds over Germany’s Philipp Nawrath, with Norway’s Johannes Dale-Skjevdal third at +25.2 seconds.
- Giacomel had wept at a pre-race press conference and said he would compete to make his close friend Bakken proud, then dedicated his win to him.
- The cause of Bakken’s death on December 23 remains unknown, with autopsy findings expected in early March according to media and team statements.
- Norway plans to attend Bakken’s funeral in Lillehammer on Tuesday before returning for Ruhpolding, as illness sidelined Johan-Olav Botn and Sturla Holm Lægreid in Oberhof and Isak Frey was called up.