At the 2025 biathlon World Cup in Lenzerheide, the women have a close struggle for the medals. More than half a dozen ski hunters can be used for a World Cup title. Who has the best chance? What tears Germany’s greatest hope of hope Franziska Preuss? Sport.de makes the favorite check.
13 individual races took place in the women’s World Cup season so far, seven different winners were at the top of the podium. Only three runners won more than one race. At the biathlon World Cup in Lenzerheide, they also go into the fight for gold, silver and bronze as great favorites.
However, there are also a number of runners behind the trio who have to be trusted. In addition to this group, there are some “Dark Horses” in the field, which can run far forward on a good day.
The three top favorites of the 2025 biathlon World Cup:
The French woman goes on paper as number one in the World Cup Lou JeanMonnot. The 26-year-old is “only” in second place in the overall World Cup behind Franziska Preuss, but JeanMonnot won four of the last five races and presented himself on time for the World Cup in absolute gala form. If she caught a good day, it cannot be beat.
Series winner JeanMonnot
The French woman is the only permanent starter in the World Cup this winter, which is among the top 4 in both running and shooting ranking. It is only questionable for her how she gets along with the pressure. In the event of a major event, the two-time relay world champion from Nove Mesto has never been so much under observation.
Side shadow follows directly in JeanMonnot’s Franzi Preuss. The 30-year-old is the most constant runner in the World Cup this season and continuously at world-class level. If you cling to the failed Oberhof weekend, the German was on the podium in ten out of twelve races. Your medal opportunities in Lenzerheide are almost 100 percent.
Is it also enough for Preuss to the big gold litter? Possible. And also dependent on her head. In the case of major events, she has often lacked the last bit in recent years. The 30-year-old won her only single medal so far at a World Cup in 2015 in Kontiolahti. Since then she has delivered many good races at World Championships, but never the perfect one. The time for this now seems to be ripe – also because it finally got through the season without a long break.
The Swedin completes the circle of very big favorites Elvira Öberg. She is a power in the trail and is able to catch up on the route at any time. The problem: This will probably also be necessary, because with a hit rate of only 84 percent, she is not one of the best shooters this season.
What is more difficult: Öberg cold and lost two important weeks of training before the World Cup. At least in the first week of the World Cup, the 25-year-old will not be at 100 percent. To beat JeanMonnot or Prussia, this will be exactly necessary.
The most dangerous competitors at the 2025 biathlon World Cup
The chasing group, which comes from the Bären-strong French team in 2025, is very close to the three top favorites. To be called at the forefront is here Julia Simon. Yes, the 28-year-old rarely offered her complete overall package this year. But she only did that occasionally in 2023/24. Then came the World Cup in Nove Mesto, where she suddenly won four gold and bronze medal. Your Lenzerheide is not that much to be trusted, but you shouldn’t write them down.
Braisaz-Bouchet meets too rarely
This also applies to your teammate Justine Braisaz-Bouchet. The Olympic champion is one of the three fastest runners in the field. For her, the only question of whether she gets through at the shooting range is clean. Here the 28-year-old was often completely next to him this winter. The result: a hit rate of only 74 percent. But if it fits her on the mat, she will land very far ahead.
In Lenzerheide on the invoice you also have to do the two French women Jeanne Richard and Ocean Michelon have. They are the faces of the new generation and have shown their best side in the World Cup. Does you have a medal guarantee? No. But after 15 top 10 places at 26 starts, nobody should be surprised if one of the two 22-year-olds in Lenzerheide is on the podium.
The “Dark Horses” of the 2025 biathlon World Cup
Everything can, nothing has to be done: this applies to a number of runners in Lenzerheide. Also for Selina Grotian (20), which, if everything fits together and the competition weakens a little, can run in at the very front. Her seventh place in the overall World Cup is no coincidence, the victory in the mass start of Annecy and second place in the sprint by Antholz testimony of her great talent. She does not have internal pressure because nobody in the DSV team is expecting heroes. That can play in the cards.
Can Grotian succeed in a World Cup coup?
At the World Cup you should also have Hanna Öberg (29). Why? Because the Swede actually always delivers in major events – no matter how bad the season was until then. Norway’s exceptional talent Maren Kirkeeide (21) and Finland’s hope Suvi minkkinen (30) could also cause a surprise.
This also applies to running miracles Anamarija Lampič (29). The Slovenin is by no means an obvious candidate for a medal. What happens when the former cross -country skier and by far the fastest in the field at the shooting range caught a good day, Annecy was shown in the sprint when she became a sensational third.