There was no change in yellow after Oberhof, despite disappointing performances from Franziksa Preuss and Johannes Thingnes Boe but there was so much else going on that you would hardly have noticed. From significant personal breakthroughs to team strikes and counter-strikes - headlined by a historic Finnish Single Mixed Relay - this was truly one of the most entertaining World Cup weeks in years.

Personal breakthroughs: Botet, Kirkeeide, Todorova

As the IBU Cup Total Score leader, Paula Botet earned her spot on the competitive French team, replacing Sophie Chauveau. After struggling with consistency and lower leg pain for two seasons, she underwent a minor medical procedure that helped her regain confidence - and ski speed. Botet capitalised on a favourable bib and superb form to win the Sprint and then partnered with Quentin Fillon Maillet in the Single Mixed Relay to secure another podium, strengthening her case for a permanent World Cup spot. Meanwhile, Maren Kirkeeide, from the same region of Norway as the Boe brothers, delivered back-to-back second places in the Sprint and Pursuit and anchored Norway’s mixed relay to third. Hailed by Ole Einar Bjoerndalen as a rising star with a lot of room to improve her skiing speed, she is now the highest-ranked Norwegian woman in the Total Score.

Milena Todorova also made history for Bulgaria with a third-place finish in the Sprint—the country’s first women’s podium since 2003/2004—and followed it with a strong seventh place in the Pursuit.

Dmytro means business

Dmytro Pidruchnyi had one of the best weekends of his career, finishing 4th in the sprint and 6th in the Pursuit. He also received overwhelming support from the Norwegian and French athletes as they shared the flower podium - and the flag of Ukraine - after the Pursuit.

French men punched in the Sprint, Norwegians countered in the Pursuit

In his last race in the World Cup, Martin Fourcade won in the Pursuit of Kontiolahti at the end of the 2019/2020 season. Fillon Maillet finished second, and Emilien Jacquelin third. Fillon Maillet, Fabien Claude, and Jacquelin repeated the feat in the Oberhof Sprint - and let the Norwegians know who was the boss. A day later their exuberance evaporated as Sturla Holm Laegreid, sixth after the Sprint, won in the Pursuit. Tarjei Boe, 16th after the Sprint, finished second, and JT Boe, 13th after the Sprint, third. But, while he still leads in the Total Score, Johannes is yet to shoot clean this winter. And Laegreid is edging closer.

German men’s shooting form looked wobbly, but . . .

German men collectively shot 68% in the Sprint and 82% in the Pursuit, with Philipp Nawrath 16th place in the Pursuit their best result in Oberhof. Their skiing speed was very competitive in the individual competitions so if their much-improved shooting form in the mixed relays (Danilo Riethmueller had no reloads, Justus Strelow one and Nawrath three) is a sign of a change then perhaps Ruhpolding might see happier results for the home crowd.

Similar to the men on her team and similar to her counterpart JT Boe it was a tough weekend for women’s yellow bib wearer Preuss, who had three misses in the Sprint and Pursuit.

Ignoring the noise around the big names, Minkkinen keeps having fun

With all ups and downs of the most prominent women biathlon names, Suvi Minkkinen is having the season of her life at age 30, currently sitting fifth in the Total Score standings. Partnering with Tero Seppala, she brought home a win in the Single Mixed Relay!

Elvira Oeberg's form has - perhaps - hit a sweet spot

Elvira Oeberg opened the Oberhof week with a disastrous 50% shooting performance in the Sprint. She then looked composed in the Pursuit, taking time on the shooting range and storming through the five laps on the tracks, rocketing from 37th to 3rd place, winning the Pursuit with over a minute advantage over the second-fastest Lou Jeanmonnot. Elvira also skied on another planet as she anchored Sweden to a comeback win in the Mixed Relay.

Mengin and Dale-Skjevdal rocked in Arber

French junior Amandine Mengin and the Norwegian star Johannes Dale-Skjevdal rocked at the IBU Cup Arber. Mengin premiered in the IBU Cup and achieved two wins and second place! Dale-Skjevdal did one better, winning in all three competitions and earning back his spot in the World Cup team.

Photo: Photos: IBU/Vianney Thibaut, Harald Deubert, Nordic Focus