As summer turns to autumn, the biathlon world enters a crucial phase of preparation before the Olympic winter with Milano-Cortina 2026 in sight. We asked a group of international experts — Giorgio Capodaglio (Fondo Italia), Florian Burgaud (Nordic Magazine), Ron (Extrarunde), and Helena Ekholm (SVT) — to share their thoughts on the highlights of the summer competitions, the athletes making comebacks, and the main storylines heading into the new season. From Lou Jeanmonnot’s dominance to Lisa Vittozzi’s return, from rising stars to the much-anticipated Loop One Festival in Munich, here is their take on what we’ve seen so far and what lies ahead.

BiathlonWorld: Now that a fair share of summer biathlon is in the books, who has impressed you the most?

Giorgio Capodaglio: Summer races are different to winter ones, as not everyone prepares for them the same way. That said, Lou Jeanmonnot was outstanding at the French Championships and again at Blinkfestivalen, where she split wins with Lisa Vittozzi. On the men’s side, Eric Perrot impressed at Blinkfestivalen and City Biathlon, Emilien Jacquelin was excellent in Norway and Arcon, and Tommaso Giacomel dominated the Italian Championships with ease.

Florian Burgaud: Even though summer competitions are difficult to judge because we don't really know what kind of shape the athletes are in when they compete in these races, it's clear that Jeanmonnot seems to have overcome her devastating defeat at the end of last season in the race for the big crystal globe.

Last weekend in Arcon, where I was, she was untouchable and far superior to the other biathletes competing. She had already impressed everyone in August at the Blink Festival, before experiencing a more difficult spell at the City Biathlon Dresden. Among the men, Perrot and Jacquelin showed great form, as did Martin Uldal and Sturla Holm Laegreid.

Ron: I was most impressed by Perrot and (next to Jeanmonnot) Janina Hettich-Walz. Perrot competed in all the summer events and was consistently at the top. Compared to the past years, he seems to have taken another big step forward. Among the women, Hettich-Walz celebrated an incredible comeback after maternity leave, winning two golds and one silver at the German Championships. What stood out even more to me were her ski times, which were the best at that event. I’m curious to see if she can carry that level into the winter.

Helena Ekholm: As a Swede I have to say that like almost always Elvira Oeberg makes a big impression on me. She is so strong at skiing. And also, Hettich-Walz; what a comeback!

BW And who do you think still has work to do before winter?

GC: For sure, based on what we’ve seen so far, Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold will need to regain form. She looked to be struggling both in Italy and at the Norwegian Championships, although to be fair, she rarely excels in summer. Vanessa Voigt also seemed far from her best condition, even if her shooting accuracy remained solid.

FB: There are many, but that's normal at this point in the season. Quentin Fillon-Maillet showed some weaknesses in the Arcon sprint with an unusual 2/10 in shooting; Julia Simon, Fabien Claude, and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet have not necessarily shone so far. Furthermore, it is impossible at this stage to judge Dorothea Wierer, for example, who has not yet put her bib back on. Finally, I am concerned about Hanna Oeberg, who has missed many days of altitude training due to various illnesses.

R: Looking at the results, it seems that the German men still have work to do on the shooting range. On the women’s side, Tandrevold often found herself further back in the results lists. But I still believe she will be back among the very best once the winter season begins.

BW: This summer we saw athletes coming back from injuries, surgery, or tough winters. Who looks most ready to bounce back?

GC: As an Italian, I can’t help but highlight Vittozzi’s beautiful comeback. There was a lot of anticipation ahead of Blinkfestivalen, and she showed up in great form, also handling the tension of being in the spotlight very well. An excellent sign ahead of the winter.

FB: I think the most impressive comeback is that of Hettich-Walz. Absent last winter to give birth to her first child, she dominated her compatriots at the German Summer Championships! It's totally crazy and reminds me of Braisaz-Bouchet's trajectory after her maternity leave. She will be one to watch closely next winter!

Marketa Davidova also seems to have resumed training as she wanted after her herniated disc. Again, we'll have to keep a close eye on her, given how talented she is!

Ron: Alongside Hettich-Walz, Vittozzi clearly stands out. The 2024 Overall World Cup winner appeared at the Blink Festival in Norway as if she had never been away. She’s once again one of the absolute top favourites for the upcoming season.

HE: I have never seen anyone so happy to be back as it was for Linn Gestblom and I think she will get better and better during the season. Vittozzi also looked very strong and will be someone to count on once again.

BW: What are the main takeaways from summer biathlon so far for you?

GC: Three things stood out for me: first, the men’s race finale at City Biathlon - it said a lot about Perrot’s hunger to win. Second, the outstanding results of the new Dane, Anne De Besche, who even managed to win the mass start at the Norwegian Nationals. A great sign for her and for Denmark.

Third, the performances of the Italians at the National Championships in Anterselva, where many international stars were competing. With Wierer and Vittozzi out, who would have thought Italian athletes would still take the wins? First Birgit Schoelzhorn, from the B team, then Rebecca Passler, who managed to win ahead of Suvi Minkkinen, with the Norwegians way behind. A year ago, Vittozzi lapped everyone in Forni Avoltri, so it’s clear how much these girls have improved. A very strong signal for Italy.

Ron: This summer didn’t bring too many surprises. A few younger athletes seem to have taken the next step, while the expected favourites generally lived up to expectations. As always, though, summer results - especially ski times - shouldn’t be overvalued, since it’s never clear in which condition or training phase the athletes are competing. Tandrevold is a good example of that.

HE: I know I am repeating myself, but Gestblom is the one for me with her long and hard fight back to the competitions after sitting out a full season and all the rehab and surgeries.

BW: We are still left with a few roller-skiing events, most notably the first-ever Loop One Festival. What are you mostly looking forward to at this event? What do you think athletes will take from it?

GC: I can’t wait to discover every detail of this event. I’m convinced there will be strong participation, and that Loop One Festival can really become an important moment for biathlon because it brings the sport into a major city. As for the athletes, I believe that the embrace of the fans and experiencing a World Cup atmosphere just a month before the season start can only be an advantage in facing the final phase of preparation.

FB: In my opinion, the main advantage of the Loop One Festival is that it brings together the world's best biathletes in one place, at the same time, just over a month before the start of the World Cup. So that's what I'm looking forward to: finding out who's in great shape and who still has work to do. However, it's important NOT to make any definitive judgments about the biathletes after this race. The Loop One Festival will remain a summer competition with an electric format not used in the World Cup. Everything will be different in Oestersund at the end of November.

The athletes, on the other hand, will be able to gain a lot from this event in terms of their training. There is no doubt that they will leave Munich with a very busy schedule for the final weeks of preparation!

Ron: I’m curious to see how the event will be staged and how the fans will react to it. Munich is one of the most internationally renowned German cities, so it seems like a perfect setting for a biathlon event. For the athletes, it’s the final international test before winter and at the same time, a chance to put on one last show for the fans.

HE: I think it will be awesome to see such an event in Munich with a lot of spectators and great atmosphere. I am sure that the athletes will love it.

BW: Finally, who do you see as the faves for the first-ever success in Munich?

GC: For the women, based on what we’ve seen, I’d say Jeanmonnot and Vittozzi — with Elvira Oeberg and Hettich-Walz just behind, and I’m very curious to see the highly motivated Knotten.

On the men’s side, I’d definitely say Perrot, Laegreid, Giacomel, and Jacquelin. For a surprise, I’d pick Uldal or Campbell Wright.

FB: I'll go back to the first question: Vittozzi, Preuss, and Jeanmonnot will be very strong in Bavaria, as will Jacquelin, Perrot, and Laegreid! We're hoping for two French victories.

Ron: Among the men, Perrot is clearly my pick. Still, it won’t be easy against fast and accurate shooters like Uldal or Vetle Christiansen. I also think Justus Strelow, with his exceptional shooting, could be a strong contender in this format. On the women’s side, it looks much more open. Along with the four big favourites (Preuss, Jeanmonnot, Simon, and Vittozzi) I also think Wierer could excel at Loop One, thanks to the short loops and frequent fast shooting bouts.

HE: The Germans are always good in front of the home crowd and, of course, I hope for the Swedes. But I must admit that it is hard to predict so far in advance, especially when you haven’t seen the start lists yet!

Photos from Deubert/IBU, Nordnes/NordicFocus, Hoglund/Svenska Skidskytteforbundet