From Winterleiten, AUT
(December 22, 2024) – Maxmilian Pichler and Nico Edlinger swept the two races to start the season in Winterleiten as they took a 1.06 second victory over Italians Tobias Paur and Andreas Hofer.
Romania’s Viorel Deac and Cornel Coca led things off in the one heat race and for the second straight day their time held for over half of the field. Slovakians Peter and Dominik Neupauer edged out the Romanians by just .02 to take the lead from start draw number eight.
Paur and Hofer were next, and were over two seconds quicker than the Slovakians, but their lead would only hold for just over a minute, as Pichler and Edlinger took over.
The final team with a shot at victory were Matthias and Peter Lambacher. The Italians matched the Austrians for the quick start of the competition, but bled time away throughout their run. The finished in third, behind both Pichler and Edlinger and teammates Paur and Hofer.
The podium matched the first race’s podium, giving Pichler and Edlinger a 30 point lead over Pauer and Hofer, with the Lambachers in third, 60 points out of the lead. Viorel Deac and Cornel Coca are third, with Peter and Dominik Neupauer fifth.
Results:
| Pos | Names | Nation | Bib | Start | Finish |
| 1 | Pichler / Edlinger | AUT | 10 | 4.34 | 1:04.55 |
| 2 | Paur / Hofer | ITA | 9 | 4.53 | 1:05.61 |
| 3 | Lambacher / Lambacher | ITA | 11 | 4.34 | 1:05.86 |
| 4 | Neupauer / Neupauer | SVK | 8 | 4.40 | 1:07.54 |
| 5 | Deac / Coca | ROU | 1 | 4.36 | 1:)7.56 |
| 6 | Halcin / Halcin | SVK | 3 | 4.62 | 1:07.65 |
| 7 | Guzeloglu / Ercoskun | FIN | 2 | 4.56 | 1:08.04 |
| 8 | Hasek / Rydl | CZE | 7 | 4.74 | 1:11.31 |
| 9 | Kwiecinski / Hudy | POL | 5 | 4.59 | 1:11.38 |
| 10 | Plonka / Dwidowski | POL | 6 | 4.82 | 1:18.18 |
| 11 | Mercak / Janosek | CZE | 4 | 5.13 | 1:18.54 |