With the first competitions in Kontiolahti, the new season is also kicking off a new Olympic cycle.

That is never easy, as goals get set anew, and athletes need to prepare their bodies and minds for another period of dedication and hard work.

Usually, a season after the Olympics is more relaxed. It won't necessarily be like that this year, as Oberhof - with its rich history - hosts the IBU World Championships for the first time since 2004.

The unique thing about opening a new season in Scandinavia is that you have often been preparing for a long time in the north and have been away from home for a long time with little light. And you are thus, at least at times, a little tired in the head. Still, I liked the opening in Scandinavia.

Athletes, especially the favourites, will want to start the season well. A good start provides a lot of self-confidence for the upcoming races and makes the time until Christmas break much more manageable. Everyone wants a convincing first World Cup; chasing form during the season can be taxing on the mind with days ticking away. That brings us to the first competition of the season, the Individual. It is a particular competition because it primarily covers the basics of endurance. However, it is still not necessarily representative of the form since it mainly depends on the shape of the day. The first sprint and pursuit of the season should be much better indicators: both of the athletes' level of preparation and their ambitions for the season.

I expect a crowded field in the battle for the Total Score title, especially among the men. With the already known health and form-affecting issues for Tiril Eckhoff and Marte Olsbu Roeiseland, Elvira and Hanna Oeberg seem the main contenders for the women's title. As for the men - and from what we could see and read about him in the summer and autumn - Johannes Thingnes Boe will throw everything on the tracks and the shooting range to regain the Total Score title from Quentin Fillon Maillet. Last season, his focus was the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, and he delivered big time.

His brother Tarjei, Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, and Sebastian Samuelsson will give Quentin and Johannes a run for their money. I am pretty sure about that.

Arnd Peiffer was also part of the roundtable of experts who shared their thoughts on the favorites and potential breakthrough athletes for the 2022/2023 season for biathlonworld.com.