Nordic Combined – Schmid’s comeback charge earns podium in Trondheim

Julian Schmid secured his third podium of the young Nordic Combined season with a powerful comeback in the Trondheim World Cup (Sunday, 7 December 2025). After placing ninth in the morning ski jump, the 26‑year‑old German charged through the 10 km cross‑country to take third place.

At the front, Austria’s overall World Cup leader Johannes Lamparter earned his 20th World Cup victory. Starting 12 seconds behind jump winner and compatriot Franz‑Josef Rehrl, Lamparter quickly closed the gap and then accelerated before the finish to win by 11.6 seconds. Rehrl was second, with Schmid 27.3 seconds behind Lamparter.

Schmid out‑sprinted teammate Wendelin Tannheimer and Finland’s Ilkka Herola in a tight battle for the final podium spot. Tannheimer and Herola had begun the 10 km as third and fourth after strong jumps but were overtaken late. “I went out fast so the time would tick down each lap. I suffered in lap two, but could rest a bit behind Rettenegger, had great skis from our techs, and in the end I was in fight mode,” Schmid told ZDF.

Germany’s head coach Eric Frenzel called it a “very exciting race,” praising Lamparter and Rehrl’s tactical control at the front and highlighting Schmid’s third place and Tannheimer’s fourth as proof of good form across the team.

Returning from injury, Vinzenz Geiger approached Trondheim as a training weekend and was not in contention. He jumped to 124.5 m for 18th and started the ski leg 1:39 behind. “I’m not thinking about the podium right now—other things to fix,” said the Oberstdorf athlete.

Johannes Rydzek delivered one of the day’s biggest moves, storming from 28th after the jump to seventh at the finish, outsprinting Geiger by 0.4 seconds. Other German results: David Mach 14th, Simon Mach 16th, Richard Stenzel 24th, Terence Weber 25th. Frenzel noted “a good re‑entry” for Geiger and praised Rydzek’s running form, summing up that the squad could be “very satisfied” with the overall performance.