Francesco Friedrich leaves career end open

German bobsleigh icon Francesco Friedrich has left open the possibility of ending his career after this Olympic season. "Our planning now goes up to the Olympic Games. Then all sponsorship contracts expire and some of the push athletes have also reached the end of their careers. That's why we'll sit down at the table after the Games to make a decision on whether or not to continue," said the four-time Olympic and 18-time World Champion at a press conference in Altenberg.

Friedrich's long-time rival Johannes Lochner recently announced that he would be retiring after the season. The 34-year-old told the Münchner Merkur/tz media group in an interview that the Olympic bobsleigh competitions in Cortina d'Ampezzo next February 2026 will be his last runs as a bobsleigh pilot. After two Olympic silver medals at the Games in Beijing, the Bavarian is aiming for gold at the end of his career.

Friedrich naturally wants to put a spoke in his wheel when it comes to this goal. The 35-year-old wants to crown his incredible career with another double gold in the doubles and quadruples. "Both titles in Cortina are the goal," said the Saxon.

Friedrich presents trophy to Lochner

Friedrich wants to personally present the trophy for the overall two-man World Cup, which Friedrich was stripped of in mid-October due to the doping case of his pusher Simon Wulff, to the new winner Lochner in the coming week of training in Cortina. "That hasn't worked out so far. But we'll all be there in Italy," said Friedrich.

He emphasized that all the "background noise this summer has left him completely cold". "The focus is on our preparations for the Olympics and I think the first World Cup at the end of November on the Olympic track in Cortina will point the way forward," said the Pirna native.