Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle

Evi Sachenbacher was a sport soldier at the German Bundeswehr and one of the most successful female German cross-country skiers of the 21st century, along with Claudia Nystad. Sachenbacher won a relay bronze medal at the 1999 World Championships and a relay gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics at Salt Lake City, along with a silver in the sprint event. One year later she again won a gold medal at the World Championships at Val di Fiemme in the relay and won a silver in the pursuit. Her next two years were disappointing, but she was married to alpine skier and non-Olympian Johannes Stehle in 2005 and made a comeback in 2006. Before the Torino Games the IOC suspended her for five days for an increased hemoglobin level, so she could not start in her favorite race, the pursuit. Nevertheless she won a silver medal in the relay a few days later. At the 2007 World Championships she again won a silver medal in the team sprint with Claudia Nystad and another in the relay at the 2009 World Championships. At Vancouver in 2010 she had brilliant performances, again winning the gold medal with Claudia Nystad in the team sprint, and a silver medal in the relay.