In a season for the history books, Franziska Preuss and Lou Jeanmonnot, both in a mental state they had never experienced before and pushing themselves harder than they ever thought possible, powered through the final lap of the Mass Start in Oslo-Holmenkollen. After 20 competitions, Jeanmonnot had a five-point advantage. But, apart from Lou winning the season-opening Short Individual in Kontiolahti and Elvira Oeberg leading the Total Score after the first week, it was Preuss who wore the yellow bib for seven weeks and two competitions. And as fate would have it, Jeanmonnot astonishingly stumbled as both athletes turned into the final few hundred meters in perhaps the most famous Nordic arena in the world, with the ski jump to their left and Oslo bay serving as a stunningly beautiful backdrop. In the end, Preuss won the Total Score by 20 points - see where the difference was made.

Trimester 1 - Preuss Wins Big in France

World Cup points: Preuss won 565 points in Trimester 1, 213 more than Jeanmonnot. Head-to-head, Preuss won the Kontiolahti week by 19 points, the Hochfilzen week by 10 points, and Annecy - Le Grand-Bornand by 184 points. They each collected two wins.

💨 On skis: In eight competitions, Preuss skied faster than Jeanmonnot six times; Jeanmonnot was faster than Preuss twice.

🎯 At the range: Preuss had one 10/10 and one 20/20 shooting score. Jeanmonnot had two 20/20 shooting records.

Prone: Preuss hit 64 out of 65 targets for an astonishing 98.5% accuracy. Jeanmonnot hit 62 out of 65 targets for an almost equally impressive 95% accuracy.

Standing: Preuss's accuracy was 56/65 or 86%, whereas Jeanmonnot’s was 55/65 or 84%.

🎥 Key moment(s): Preuss collected a win and two second places in Annecy - Le Grand-Bornand, creating a 213-point lead cushion in Trimester 1 that lasted for seven weeks and one competition.

Trimester 2 - Jeanmonnot strikes back, but…

World Cup points: Jeanmonnot won 435 points in Trimester 2, 121 more than Preuss. Head-to-head, Jeanmonnot won the Oberhof week by 97 points, Preuss won the Ruhpolding week by 26 points, and Jeanmonnot won the Antholz-Anterselva week by 50 points. Jeanmonnot won four competitions.

💨 On skis: Jeanmonnot skied faster in all six competitions.

🎯 At the range: Preuss and Jeanmonnot each had one 10/10 shooting score. Jeanmonnot also collected one 20/20 shooting record.

Prone: Preuss hit 46 out of 50 targets for 92% accuracy. Jeanmonnot hit 49 out of 50 targets for an impressive 98% accuracy.

Standing: Preuss's accuracy was 45/50 or 90%, whereas Jeanmonnot’s was 46/50 or 92%.

🎥 Key moment(s): After a poor week in Oberhof, Preuss bounced back with a stellar performance in Ruhpolding and held her own in Antholz-Anterselva with two third-place finishes to Jeanmonnot’s two wins. Elvira Oeberg fell sick after Ruhpolding, and her quest for the Total Score was finished.

Trimester 3 - Epic finale in Oslo

World Cup points: Jeanmonnot won 471 points in Trimester 3, 72 more than Preuss. Head-to-head, Jeanmonnot won the Nove Mesto na Morave week by 56 points and the Pokljuka week by 16 points. Jeanmonnot and Preuss collected 230 points each in the Oslo-Holmenkollen week. Just like in Trimester 1, they each won twice.

💨 On skis: In seven competitions, Jeanmonnot skied faster five times, and Preuss skied faster twice.

🎯 At the range: Preuss and Jeanmonnot each had one 10/10 shooting score. Preuss also collected one 20/20 shooting record.

Prone: Preuss hit 55 out of 60 targets for 92% accuracy. Jeanmonnot hit 57 out of 60 targets for 95% accuracy.

Standing: Just like in the prone, Preuss’s accuracy was 55/60 or 92%. Jeanmonnot’s was also 55/60 or 92%.

🎥 Key moment(s): After a triumphant BMW IBU World Championships in Lenzerheide, Preuss hit a low in Nove Mesto. She opened the Pursuit with three unimaginable misses in the prone but managed the damage with a 15/15 score in the remaining three shooting stages. Preuss won twice in one World Cup week for the first time in her career in Oslo - when it mattered the most.

📊 Bonus Breakdown: Blockbuster Weeks - 3 Weeks or 43% of the Points

With three individual competitions, the Kontiolahti, Annecy - Le Grand-Bornand and Oslo Holmenkollen Blockbuster Weeks offered 810 or 43% of all the World Cup points - nearly half the season's total.

Franzi's impeccable timing: Preuss timed her best form for the three Blockbuster Weeks, winning 170 points in Finland, 240 points in France and 230 points in Norway, totalling 640 points—almost 48% of all her points for the season.

Lou's missed opportunity in Annecy:Jeanmonnot, on the other hand, won 151 points in Finland, 56 points in France and matched Preuss' 230 points in Norway, adding up to 437 points or 35% of all her points for the season.