With the year 2021 slowly bowing out, we are looking back at some of the most dramatic and exciting last loops of the season. We've seen plenty of thrilling head-to-heads but these five are high up on our list:

Antholz Men Relay - January 2021

Just like in the Men Pursuit at the 2020 World Championships, Johannes Thingnes Boe and Emilien Jacquelin found themselves together on the last loop in Antholz - but this time in the Men Relay; with the better end once more for the Frenchman. While Jacquelin and Boe played cat and mouse in the Pursuit in 2020, Jacquelin this time managed to overpower Boe on the last uphill after the tunnel. The battle for 3rd place was similarly intense, with Eduard Latypov being the Russian trump card on the last meters, just like in the Oberhof Mixed Relay earlier in January.

Pokljuka Single Mixed Relay - February 2021

In one of the most thrilling finishes of the World Championships 2021, Julia Simon and Antonin Guigonnat secured Gold in the Single Mixed Relay. For the first time in IBU history, the women anchored the Mixed Relay and Single Mixed Relay at World Championships - and as a result, Tiril Eckhoff and Julia Simon were engrossed in a fierce battle on the final leg. Simon cemented her reputation as one of the strongest finishers in the sport, keeping Eckhoff at bay with incredible ski speed on the last loop despite needing 2 spare rounds.

Nove Mesto Women Relay - March 2021

Much like Simon, Elvira Oeberg also emerged as a force to be reckoned with on the final kilometers during the 2020/2021 season. Even though her ski speed had faded a little by March, Oeberg's grit helped her battle past Elena Kruchinkina in the Women Relay in Nove Mesto na Morave, narrowly securing the first Women Relay Discipline Globe for Sweden on the last meters. Of course, it was also another sign of things to come for the younger Oeberg sister, who has dominated ski times so far this winter.

Oestersund Men Mass Start - March 2021

The final day of the 2020/2021 season had more drama and suspense than anyone had bargained for - with the competitions delayed until the afternoon due to strong winds, the tension culminated in the Men Mass Start which saw a showdown between Johannes Thingnes Boe and Sturla Holm Laegreid for the Total Score. Even though Boe all but secured title defense before the last loop, his brother Tarjei was still fighting for the Mass Start Score while Latypov and Desthieux duked it out for the victory - with the better end for the Frenchman.

Hochfilzen Women Pursuit - December 2021

For the majority of the time, it didn't look like the Women Pursuit in Hochfilzen was going to provide any battles - until it suddenly did. After 3 misses in standing shooting, Hanna Sola's 1-minute lead over Marte Olsbu Roeiseland began to crumble. The Norwegian left the final range with a deficit of 11 seconds but found an extra gear and closed in on Sola, who looked like the sure winner for the first 8 or 9km.

Honorable mentions:

Oberhof Mixed Relay

Oberhof Women Pursuit

Hochfilzen Men Pursuit