Biathlon World Cup 2025/26: Perrot and Jeanmonnot Lead as Olympic Season Intensifies
OBERHOF, 26 January 2026 – The 2025/26 BMW IBU Biathlon World Cup season is building towards its climax ahead of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. France’s Eric Perrot and Lou Jeanmonnot currently top the overall standings, while Germany’s squad, led by reigning women’s champion Franziska Preuß, is finalising its preparations for the Games in Antholz-Anterselva.
Current World Cup Standings
After 14 of 21 events in the men’s competition, French biathlete Eric Perrot holds the yellow bib with 834 points. He is closely followed by Italy’s Tommaso Giacomel (797 points) and Sweden’s Sebastian Samuelsson (668 points). In the women’s competition, France’s Lou Jeanmonnot has established a commanding lead with 848 points, ahead of Finland’s Suvi Minkkinen (646) and Sweden’s Anna Magnusson (585). The season has been marked by historic moments, including Tommaso Giacomel becoming the first Italian man in over three decades to lead the overall standings after his Oberhof victory.
German Team Focus for the Olympic Season
The German Ski Association (DSV) has named its national teams for the 2025/2026 Olympic season. The elite ‘Ia’ training group features eight women and eight men who will contest World Cup and Olympic honours.
| Women’s Team (Ia) | Men’s Team (Ia) |
|---|---|
| Selina Grotian, Franziska Preuß, Marlene Fichtner, Janina Hettich-Walz, Johanna Puff, Sophia Schneider, Julia Tannheimer, Vanessa Voigt | Philipp Horn, Johannes Kühn, Philipp Nawrath, Danilo Riethmüller, Justus Strelow, Simon Kaiser, Roman Rees, David Zobel |
Reigning overall World Cup champion Franziska Preuß is the cornerstone of the women’s team. She is supported by promising talents like Selina Grotian and Julia Tannheimer. Janina Hettich-Walz has made a strong return following maternity leave. The men’s team, under new head coach Tobias Reiter, will look to build on Danilo Riethmüller’s breakthrough podium from the previous season.
Looking Ahead: Olympics and Final Trimester
The major focus of the season is the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, with biathlon events scheduled for 8-21 February in Antholz-Anterselva. Olympic results do not count towards World Cup standings. Following the Games, the World Cup circuit resumes with stages in Kontiolahti (5-8 March), Otepää (12-15 March), and concludes in Oslo Holmenkollen on 22 March 2026. The next event on the calendar is the Men’s and Women’s Mass Start in Nové Město na Moravě on 25 January.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Biathlon World Cup last season?
In the 2024/25 season, Norway’s Sturla Holm Lægreid won the men’s overall title, while Germany’s Franziska Preuß claimed her first women’s overall crystal globe.
Which German biathletes are retiring?
The 2025/26 season is expected to be the last for several notable athletes. Among women, Italy’s Dorothea Wierer is set to retire. The men’s circuit will see the departure of veterans like Austria’s Simon Eder and Slovenia’s Jakov Fak. The season began on a tragic note with the death of Norwegian biathlete Sivert Guttorm Bakken in December 2025.
Where are the 2026 Olympic biathlon events?
All biathlon competitions for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will be held at the South Tyrol Arena in Antholz-Anterselva, Italy, from 8 to 21 February.