Expert's opinion: Helena Ekholm

Total Score winner and two-time world champion from Sweden gives an insight on Elvira Oeberg's stunning rise this season and her demeanour of a seasoned rather than a very young champion. She compares Elvira with one of the most exciting female biathletes in recent memory, but who is that?

With Ruhpolding behind us, we can observe that many big names are skipping a week to rejuvenate and prepare for Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. We know that Marte Olsbu Roeiseland and the Oeberg sisters will not compete in Antholz-Anterselva and that Quentin Fillon Maillet intends to do the complete program in the BMW IBU World Cup. These are different approaches from diverse competitors, and I can relate to both. The hardest part of a season in the world cup - no matter how good you are - is staying healthy and consistent for four long months. My nail-biting fight for the Total Score win in 2008/2009 with Kati Wilhelm got decided in the last mass start of the season in Khanty-Mansiysk. I finished second, Kati sixth. We both closed the season with 952 points, but I had four wins to Kati’s three. And believe me, the last day was incredibly hard for the psyche. Put Olympic Winter Games in this equation, and you get the picture of why it is so hard to shoot for the golden Olympic glory and Total Score title in the same season. Neuner won two Olympic golds and one silver and the Total Score in the 2009/2010 season, an incredible effort. Martin Fourcade pulled off something similar in PyeongChang 2018.

This brings me back to the Ruhpolding week. Without Norway’s most powerful men, Ruhpolding offered a window of opportunity for the two leading Frenchmen, Fillon Maillet and Emilien Jacquelin, and Sebastian Samuelsson to gain extra points and distance themselves further from Tarjei Boe, Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen, JT Boe, and Sturla Holm Laegreid. Quentin made the most of it with two wins. It is remarkable to observe Quentin’s consistency this season and his incremental progress each week. It was good to see some other names making a name for themselves. Vytautas Strolia put Lithuania firmly on the map with two Top 6 finishes. Anton Smolski was third in the sprint and pursuit and confirmed his Top 10 Total Score standing. Tero Seppala performed well in the sprint as did Joscha Burkhalter.

As for the women, Olsbu Roeiseland’s shooting this season is a sign of a champion on a mission. She won three out of four last competitions and seems in command at the moment. But I think that Elvira Oeberg will keep Marte on her toes for a bit longer. Her skiing power is incredible, and her energy reserves inexhaustible, or so it seems. Observing Elvira perform with such authority, it is easy to forget that she is still only 22 and learning as each day goes by. When I think about who was as exciting in my days as Elvira is now, Magdalena Neuner springs to mind. Although of a different build than Elvira, Neuner started to win even younger, I think with 19, but was as bold and uncompromising as is Elvira is.

We will not see some big and familiar names in Antholz-Anterselva, but that doesn’t necessarily take the thrill away from the week. Dorothea Wierer will be looking forward to honing her form, as will the French team. But there will also be room for youngsters. Eric Perrot and Campbell Wright made the best out of the Ruhpolding week. Antholz-Anterselva offers even more manoeuvring space.