From Quentin Fillon Maillet’s dominance on Huberalm to the Franziska Preuss’ farewell, Erik Lesser unpacks the defining stories of Antholz 2026 and looks ahead as the World Cup battles resume in Kontiolahti.

At Antholz 2026, Quentin Fillon Maillet and Sturla Holm Laegreid once again demonstrated perfect timing in peaking for a major championship. Fillon Maillet was as strong as he had been four years earlier in Beijing 2022, while Laegreid found his top shape exactly when it mattered most — starting with the Individual and then going on to win a medal in all four individual competitions as well as in the men’s relay. From a technical standpoint, the course suited both of them very well. Quentin, in particular, has perhaps the best double-pole push in the field, combining upper-body power with perfectly timed leg drive. On Huberalm he was unbelievably strong and able to create decisive gaps.

Eric Perrot also delivered a very strong Olympic performance overall. He was outstanding in both the Mixed and Men’s Relays and came very close to gold in the Individual. However, these were his first Olympic Games, and it is possible that he felt more pressure than expected in the individual races. That experience will help him, and I would expect him to take another step forward over the next four years, especially with the 2030 Olympic Winter Games in the French Alps in Annecy–Le Grand Bornand offering a huge opportunity on home soil. Tommaso Giacomel, meanwhile, appeared to put enormous pressure on himself — understandably so, given how strong he looked in Trimester 2. He seemed in medal contention in the Mass Start after the first two shootings, but health issues that surfaced during the race may also have played a role in preventing him from performing better earlier in the Olympics.

The German men performed largely in line with their World Cup level. Both Philipp Nawrath and Philipp Horn — were close to the medals on two occasions. Yet at this level, winning often requires a perfect shooting performance. Horn came very close in the Mass Start, but realistically, I do not think any athlete in Antholz could have defended a six-second lead over Fillon Maillet on the final lap. Quentin was simply flying.

Franziska Preuss’ decision to end her career in Antholz rather than at the traditional World Cup finals in Oslo-Holmenkollen was slightly surprising, but it did not affect her motivation or performance in Italy. In fact, she was only one missed target away from an individual medal — her big goal for these Games — on two occasions. Looking back to her Olympic debut in Sochi 2014 and considering everything she achieved despite numerous setbacks, her career has been highly impressive. It was ultimately crowned by last season’s well-deserved World Cup Total Score title.

Among the women, Lora Hristova and other Bulgarian athletes stood out by performing above their usual World Cup standard. Oceane Michelon and Maren Kirkeeide confirmed they are world-class athletes. In Antholz, they combined excellent skiing with very solid shooting, clearing a high percentage of targets under pressure. At the same time, I see enormous potential in Selina Grotian and Julia Tannheimer. They may need a bit more time to stabilise their shooting consistency, but in terms of skiing capacity and talent, they absolutely belong in the same category and could soon become regular podium contenders.

Leonhard Pfund showed in the World Cup in Nove Mesto that he can compete with the very best, and hopefully he can confirm that level Kontiolahti. Elias Seidl and Franz Schaser made significant progress in the second half of the IBU Cup season. They are moving in the right direction but may benefit from a bit more time at that level before making a full and permanent transition to the World Cup.

The transition from the Olympic Games back to the World Cup is actually less complicated than many assume. After the Olympics, there are no more internal qualification battles, no quota pressure, and no medal expectations of that magnitude. For athletes fighting for the Total Score, the focus shifts quickly to the final three weeks of competition. Others might use that period to experiment or race with slightly less pressure. In many ways, it becomes biathlon in its purest form again: ski as fast as possible and shoot as accurately as you can.

Finally, the relay gold from Sochi 2014 means a great deal. Germany has a proud tradition of Olympic relay victories, and to be part of that legacy is special. For many years, Arnd Peiffer was the only member of that relay team with an individual Olympic gold medal. Now Simon Schempp, Daniel Böhm and I have officially joined him as Olympic champions. To share that status and to be part of such a historic team achievement feels truly meaningful.