Johannes Thingnes Boe reclaimed the yellow bib from Sturla Holm Laegreid after two third-place finishes in Nove Mesto na Morave. Meanwhile, Lou Jeanmonnot inched even closer to Franziska Preuss in the Total Score standings, increasing the pressure as the competition tightens. At the same time, the U23 battle is becoming increasingly entertaining, with Jeanne Richard, Oceane Michelon, Selina Grotian, and Maren Kirkeeide pushing their limits - and each other.

The battle of skills, nerves and waxing teams

After all metres were skied and bullets shot, it is difficult to say who will be more profoundly affected after the Nove Mesto na Morave week. Franziska Preuss perhaps? The Total Score leader finished 15th in the Sprint, 13th in the Mass Start and generally had a weak week and most likely not the best skis - she was 30 seconds slower than Lou Jeanmonnot in the Sprint and 38 seconds in the Pursuit - but fought back from the abyss after three consecutive first prone stage misses in the Mass Start Or maybe Jeanmonnot herself? The challenger finished 4th in the Sprint and Pursuit and was clearly in great shape, skied strongly, and seemed to have a win in the Pursuit in her pocket before two late misses pushed her to fourth place.

Before Pokljuka Preuss holds a 36-point lead. Franziska will fancy her chances in the Mass Start, where she has won 215 points to Jeanmonnot’s 98 this season. For her part Jeanmonnot will strive to add a third consecutive win in the Individual: she has won 180 points in the Individual to Preuss’ 125 this season.

Will Pokljuka play in Laegreid’s hands?

Sturla Holm Laegreid must have felt great after the prone stage in the Sprint as he saw Johannes Thingnes Boe miss twice. But when he had a chance to add to his Total Score lead with a clean shooting in the standing stage he faltered - it was one of rare occasions that we saw Sturla, great shooter that he is, visibly shaken. Two misses gave Johannes new momentum: he finished third, Laegreid 14th. Sturla fought back in the Pursuit with fifth place but lost more points to JT who collected another third place and a yellow bib with it.

Before Pokljuka, Boe has a five-point lead over Laegreid. However, the Individual-Mass Start program in Pokljuka could serve Laegreid better. He celebrated a gold medal in the Individual and the Mass Star at the BMW IBU World Championships in 2021, plus he has collected 195 points in the Mass Start to Boe’s 164 this season. As for the Individual, neither Laegreid nor Boe have performed well after the shared podium in the Short Individual in Kontiolahti. Boe missed five shots in Ruhpolding and five in Lenzerheide but Laegreid didn’t really capitalise on that as he missed two shots on each of the occasions and finished 16th and 15th.

Michelon two points behind Richard

Jeanne Richard is fourth in the Total Score with 590 points, Oceane Michelon fifth with 588, Selina Grotian seventh with 563, and Maren Kirkeeide 10th with 445. Michelon won the Nove Mesto week with 93 points, Grotian collected 81, Kirkeeide 72, and Richard 64. And U23 drama moves to Pokljuka!

France wins women’s and men’s Relay Cup Score

French women and men won in the Relay Cup Score in the same season for the first time in 31 years. The French men won all five relays this season whilst the women only the last one. The last time the French men won the Relay Cup Score was in the 2011/2012 season, whereas the French women did so in the 2022/2023 season most recently.

Frey wins the IBU Cup Total Score

Isak Frey crowned his exceptional season with the IBU Cup Total Score win a week before the season’s end. He also won the Pursuit Cup Score. Camille Bened clinched the Pursuit and Mass Start Cup Score and looks set to win the Total Score. And, Johan Olav Botn lifted a trophy for the men’s Mass Start Cup Score winner.

Photo: IBU: Hendrik Osula, Igor Stancik, Nordic Focus