With three relay medals from the IBU World Championships and a memorable World Cup Pursuit victory in Presque Isle, USA, Alexis Boeuf knows what it takes to excel at the highest level. A participant in the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and now an expert commentator for L'Équipe, Boeuf brings firsthand knowledge and insights into the tracks and shooting range in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand, including the chances of both in-form French teams.

With just 42 points between the Total Score leader Franziska Preuss and third Elvira Oeberg and Lou Jeanmonnot in between, I see their fascinating battle continue in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand. Elvira is the fastest skier, Franziska is the most experienced, and Lou is the most complete biathlete. They represent three distinct profiles. Regarding Nordic snow vs. European snow, it is generally easier to achieve speed in Europe if you are physically less powerful. This is why shooting is perhaps even more critical in Europe than on Nordic snow. Elvira needs to be more accurate in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand than in Hochfilzen to keep fighting with Franziska and Lou.

Julia Simon and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet are not performing at the same level as they were last winter. I believe Julia is on an upward trajectory and could peak at the World Championships in Lenzerheide. Justine may have set high expectations for herself in the Total Score, impacting her shooting. I trust she can now relax and perform well in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand, as both athletes need time to find their inner flow without fixating on the results.

I am impressed, but not surprised, by the French men's team. While the last two seasons may have been challenging for them, they conducted a thorough analysis over the summer to understand what went wrong. Emilien Jacquelin and Quentin Fillon Maillet have regained their form, which was evident in the first two weeks. Eric Perrot, still a young athlete, shows great promise and is becoming one of the best in the world.

Emilien needed time to develop into a more complete biathlete—similar to Julia and Justine. He has discovered a shooting technique that works for him. In the past seasons, he was known for his speed, but he is now evolving into a complete champion rather than just a challenger. It will be interesting to see if he can consistently perform at a high level and remain among the fastest skiers.

Shining in front of a sell-out home crowd is not easy. While it can help your skiing, managing energy consumption is crucial. The tracks in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand suit Jacquelin well; they feature long uphill and downhill sections. He is explosive, able to exert himself at the start and then relax on the downhill. The long downhill stretch leading to the shooting range allows athletes to lower their heart rates before pushing again. This directly contrasts with the shooting range conditions in Hochfilzen, for example.

But then, there is Johannes Thingnes Boe. He has traditionally been - and will be strong again in Annecy-Le Grand Bornand. His form is improving; he was fast in Hochfilzen, and Johannes loves the venue. We can expect thrilling battles between Johannes and Emilien.

And to touch the new starting system: it does not seem to affect results. It's interesting to have the top athletes compete in the same group during the middle of the competition. From a commentator’s perspective, this presents a new challenge; we need to follow Siwidata’s data closely to explain the dynamics effectively. But it is fun!