From Sigulda, LAT
Jan. 19, 2020 – Oskars Melbardis won his second IBSF European Cup 2-man gold medal of the year, edging out the previous day’s winner for the top honor.
Melbardis came into the second heat a mere two hundredths of a second behind Simon Friedli, who had won Race 6 of the season the day before. The second run was nearly as close, with Melbardis coming down .01 slower than his first time, but well ahead of anyone else. Friedli couldn’t quite match Melbardis’ second run, finishing just behind the Latvian by .04.
Melbardis’ win was the second for the 2-man Olympic bronze medalist since coming back from back injury.
Russian Rostislav Gaitiukevich finished third, just .01 ahead of Swiss pilot Michael Kuonen. Mihai Tentea finished fifth, while Jonas Jannusch rounded out the top six.
With one race to go, Tentea holds a 19 point lead over Melbardis, with both men well ahead of anyone else in the Europen Cup 2-man standings.
Results:
| Pos | Names | Nation | Bib | Start 1 | Start 2 | Run 1 | Run 2 | Total |
| 1 | Melbardis / Dambis | LAT | 13 | 4.99 | 4.99 | 50.26 | 50.27 | 1:40.53 |
| 2 | Friedli / Jones | SUI | 9 | 4.94 | 4.92 | 50.24 | 50.33 | 1:40.57 |
| 3 | Gaitiukevich / Travkin | RUS | 7 | 4.93 | 4.91 | 50.29 | 50.46 | 1:40.75 |
| 4 | Kuonen / Tanner | SUI | 12 | 4.94 | 4.94 | 50.31 | 50.45 | 1:40.76 |
| 5 | Tentea / Daroczi | ROU | 11 | 5.03 | 5.02 | 50.54 | 50.63 | 1:41.17 |
| 6 | Jannusch / Kornhardt | GER | 5 | 5.06 | 5.04 | 50.52 | 508.00 | 1:41.37 |
| 7 | Kaufmanis / Varavs | LAT | 8 | 4.96 | 4.96 | 50.75 | 50.68 | 1:41.43 |
| 8 | Zielasko / Kossmann | GER | 2 | 4.92 | 4.93 | 50.67 | 50.81 | 1:41.48 |
| 9 | Hannighofer / Jagusch | GER | 6 | 4.96 | 4.98 | 50.70 | 50.85 | 1:41.55 |
| 10 | Illmann / Kunze | GER | 4 | 5.02 | 5.02 | 50.74 | 50.97 | 1:41.71 |
| 11 | Cipulis / Nungurs | LAT | 14 | 5.04 | 5.01 | 50.90 | 50.83 | 1:41.73 |
| 12 | Kuzmeno / Baklanov | RUS | 18 | 4.97 | 4.98 | 50.79 | 51.04 | 1:41.84 |
| 13 | Lorenzoni / Mariani | SUI | 17 | 5.01 | 4.99 | 50.95 | 51.01 | 1:41.96 |
| 14 | Bredikhin / Isakov | RUS | 10 | 5.16 | 5.19 | 51.07 | 51.37 | 1:42.44 |
| 14 | Moulinier / Matthys | SUI | 15 | 5.11 | 5.13 | 51.09 | 51.35 | 1:42.44 |
| 16 | Voloskov / hestiankin | RUS | 1 | 5.27 | 5.29 | 51.23 | 51.50 | 1:42.73 |
| 17 | Variola / Atchori Essoh | ITA | 3 | 5.10 | 5.12 | 51.57 | 51.81 | 1:43.38 |
| 18 | Dobes / Dobes | CZE | 16 | 5.20 | 5.14 | 51.77 | 51.84 | 1:43.61 |
