There are three races for the world’s best biathletes at the end of the season. Oslo’s Holmenkollen is not just about the fight between Franziska Preuss and Lou JeanMonnot and winning the overall ranking. Further biathlon stars also look at the crystal balls.
The best biathletes in the world fight in the sprint (Friday), pursuers (Saturday) and mass start (Sunday) for the last points of winter. After the World Cup weekend in Norway, the long season ends, which already had a highlight with the World Cup in Lenzerheide in February.
The three races are about no less than the allocation of the small discipline and the large crystal balls. sport.de gives an overview of the last decisions:
Biathlon overall World Cup: Preuss vs. JeanMonnot
High voltage until the end! From a German perspective, all eyes are aimed at Franziska Preuss. The best German ski hunter of this season can win the big crystal ball for the first time – a crowning glory of her career that is already successful. Again and again in the past few weeks she spoke of the “biggest dream” when it came to the overall ranking. She would even hang the title higher than one of her two World Cup titles.
The lead – only – is 20 points to her worst competitor Lou JeanMonnot from France. At the wooden scale, both in every race is about getting the best possible placement. As a reminder: from the 40th place there are points, a meter is awarded per better placement. From tenth place, the steps grow larger.
| 1st place | 90 points |
| 2nd place | 75 points |
| 3. Square | 65 points |
| 4th place | 55 points |
| 5th place | 50 points |
| 6. Square | 45 points |
| 7th place | 41 points |
| 8. Place | 37 points |
| 9th place | 34 points |
| 10th place | 31 points |
In the sprint, both Preuss and JeanMonnot in 2024/25 each won a World Cup race, although the German has 53 points more in the discipline rating. The signs are reversed in the pursuer, since the French woman has achieved better results so far.
The decision could only be made in the mass start – three podium placements could already drive in here, JeanMonnot only one. With her recent victory in Pokljuka, the 26-year-old impressively demonstrated that she can be expected.
“I still have the small advantage,” emphasizes Preuss before the showdown in Oslo: “I just do my best, you can’t do more anyway.”
So far, five German biathletes have been able to win the overall World Cup: Martina Glagow (2002/03), Kati Wilhelm (2005/06), Andrea Henkel (2006/07), Magdalena Neuner (2009/10 and 2011/12) and Laura Dahlmeier (2016/17).
Best U23 athlete: DSV talent with good chances
As the second best German biathlete, Selina Grotian has established herself in the World Cup this season. “It shows a strong season and is currently in sixth place in the overall World Cup and in third place in the U23 classification,” said Felix Bitterling, sports director of the German Ski Association (DSV) in the area of biathlon in advance: “Everything is still possible here with three strong competitions.”
The French women Jeanne Richard (4th) and Oceane Michelon (5th) stand in front of her, the distance is 56 and 46 points. It is not completely excluded that the 20-year-old DSV athlete will end up in the blue jersey. But Grotian not only has to deliver himself, but also hope for slips from her concure women.
Sprint crystal ball: Prussia vs. Braisaz-Bouchet
On the way to the overall victory, Franziska Preuss could collect the small crystal ball for the sprint rating. To do this, the DSV athlete has to prevail against none other than the Frenchwoman Justine Braisaz-Bouchet. Both separate just seven points in the ranking.
Preuss must therefore ideally land in front of her competitor on Friday (4:15 p.m. in the live ticker on Sport.de). If this does not succeed, she has to hope that Braisaz-Bouchet will not drive onto the podium. This is the only way to compensate for the lead with a worse result.
The most recent form is currently speaking against the second of the World Cup from Upper Bavaria. At the beginning of March in Nove Mesto, Preuss was 15th, while the reigning sprint world champion was able to take the momentum with second place and reduce the distance.
Chasing crystal ball: JeanMonnot vs. Simon
A hot duel awaits the biathlon fans in the fight for winning the persecution, here the incumbent world champion Franziska Preuss has only theoretical opportunities as the third. With Lou JeanMonnot and Julia Simon, two French people hope for the crystal ball.
Simon travels to Norway with a win in Nove Mesto in Nove Mesto. Although the overall World Cup winner of 2022/23 of her compatriot in the race for the big ball, keeps his fingers crossed, but the 28-year-old certainly does not give. She was not interested in the duel, she had explained afterwards.
Their deficit is 32 points on JeanMonnot. The race will increase on Saturday at 3:50 p.m.
Mass start-crystal ball: Prussia vs. Öberg
In the race for the mass start-up rating, Franziska Preuss has to ward off an attack by Swede Elvira Öberg. However, the reigning world champion had recently struggled with health problems. After the World Cup in Switzerland, Öberg had to drop out the World Cup in Nove Mesto due to illness, and it only returned in Pokljuka.
In order to protect strength, the 26 -year -old in Slovenia only got into the race in the mass start – and at least maintained her chances of the small crystal ball with the 26th place. Preuss was able to increase the lead as fifth to 41 points. At 1:15 p.m., the biathletes go to the trail on Sunday (in the live ticker on Sport.de).
Nations evaluation: important for Olympics 2026
So much is clear before the last World Cup of winter: the victory in the nation ranking of women will go to France. However, the matter is powerful behind it: Sweden (7,774 points) ranks off Germany (7,673) and Switzerland (7,572).
Why is good performance so important? The three best nations receive an Olympic quota of six starting places at the end of the season. “The supervisor quota at the Olympic Games is also related to this placement, which also underlines the importance of the nation cup,” emphasizes Bitterling.
Single crystal ball: Prussia is subject to JeanMonnot
The fight for the small crystal ball in the singles was also exciting. After the last race of the season in Pokljuka, Lou was able to assert herself JeanMonnot. The French woman brought her lead over Franziska Preuss as a seventh – so a victory of the 31 -year -old would have changed nothing more. Prussia was still the third happy about her second podium in a single race this season.