Biathlon: who should you bet on at the 2025 World Championships?
by Cydias Aujard | by Cydias Aujard
2025 Biathlon World Championships: our favourites
These 2025 Biathlon World Championships could well pit two nations, France and Norway, against each other, with Germany and Sweden as referees. In Lenzerheide, the French biathletes will have a chance of medalling in the 12 events on the programme. Our SportyTrader experts take a look at their predictions for the Biathlon World Championships.
Sprint: Franziska Preuss against the French in the women's race, the Norwegians without any competition in the men's race?
The leader in the discipline, Franziska Preuss is hoping to prevent the French from going for gold. The German has shone over this distance this season, with 3 podium finishes to her name and a fine record of consistency. This consistency may have been lacking from our French representatives in the Sprint, even though Justine Braisaz-Bouchet and Lou Jeanmonnot will be the German biathlete's main rivals. Nevertheless, Franziska Preuss will remain our favourite and will be the favourite of our forecast.
Norway will be out in force in the sprint, with Sturla Holm Laegreid arriving in Switzerland as the leader in the discipline. The Scandinavian has never finished worse than 9th over this distance this season, without raising his arms like his compatriots Martin Uldal, winner in Annecy, and the indestructible Johannes Boe, victorious in Hochfilzen. And for his last world championships, the triple gold medallist in the sprint will be hoping to win one last title in this discipline that gave him his first stripes in 2015.
Our Sprint Biathlon preview: Franziska Preuss (Germany) and Johannes Boe (Norway) win.
Pursuit: Lou Jeanmonnot set to win the title? Johannes Boe for a hat-trick
While Lou Jeanmonnot will be a candidate for victory in the Sprint, the Frenchwoman will be the big favourite in the Sprint at these Biathlon World Championships 2025. Winner of 3 times this season in this discipline and leader of the rankings, the French biathlete will have a status to defend and will start with a target on her back.
In the men's Pursuit, it's another battle between the two strongest men on the circuit, Sturla Holm Laegreid and Johannes Boe, who should keep the spectators in Lenzerheide on tenterhooks. A new Scandinavian duel which, as in the Sprint, could turn out in favour of the reigning world champion, who will be in peak form in Switzerland during this fortnight.
Our Biathlon Pursuit preview: Lou Jeanmonnot (Fra) and Johannes Boe (Nor) win.
Individual: Lou Jeanmonnot the favourite, Émilien Claude looking for his first medal?
As in the Pursuit, Lou Jeanmonnot will be the favourite going into this Individual event at the 2025 Biathlon World Championships. Winner in Ruhpolding and Kontiolahti, the Frenchwoman is the French biathlete who has been in the best form since the start of 2025, with 4 successes to her name. With her confidence soaring, Lou Jeanmonnot could be the queen of these World Championships in Lenzerheide.
On the men's side, the individual race will probably be the most closely contested of the 2025 Biathlon World Championships. While the Norwegians could well dominate this discipline, the French have high hopes of a podium finish, particularly for Émilien Claude. On the podium in Ruhpolding, the Frenchman could be in the fight for a medal, and in a race where the slightest mistake in shooting can be fatal, Émilien Claude will have a card to play.
Our individual biathlon preview: a Lou Jeanmonnot (France) win and Émilien Claude (France) on the podium.
Mass-Start: Elvira Oeberg and Sturla Holm Laegreid take the titles?
Heralded as the woman to dominate women's biathlon, Elvira Oeberg has alternated between hot and cold in recent seasons. But now, at the start of 2025, the Swede is on a winning streak with 2 victories, which bodes well for the 2025 Biathlon World Championships. A very fast skier, Elvira Oeberg excels in the Mass-Start, with 2 victories in this discipline this season. Although inconsistent at times, the Swede will be aiming for gold in this Mass-Start at the World Championships in Lenzerheide.
In a race that is still undecided with only 30 participants. But in this 2024/2025 season, Sturla Holm Laegreid has been the most consistent, with her worst finish a 4th place. In full confidence in 2025 with 6 podium finishes in January, the Norwegian is one of the big favourites for this Mass-Start.
Our Mass-Start Biathlon preview: Elvira Oeberg (Sweden) and Sturla Holm Laegreid (Norway) win.
Relays: a double for the French teams?
The relays will be a great chance for our French teams to win titles, in both the men's and women's events.
The women's relay, featuring Julia Simon, Lou Jeanmonnot and Justine Braisaz-Bouchet, is on paper the most impressive on the circuit. But so far, the reward has not been there, with no victories but 4 podiums in 4 races. Will the tide turn during these 2025 world championships? If the planets align, then the French will be playing for the title in Lenzerheide, and there's no doubt that a result similar to 2023, when Les Bleues took gold, will be the number one objective.
With 4 wins from 4 races, the French relay has been dominant this season, just like the Norwegians in recent years. Will the French relay be able to stay on top in the one-day race? Quentin Fillon Maillet, Émilien Jacquelin, Éric Perrot and Fabien Claude will have a status to defend with the pressure on their shoulders. World champions in 2023, the French relay will be our favourites for this most important race of the season.
Our Biathlon Relay preview: French women's and men's team wins.
So now you have all our predictions for the 2025 Biathlon World Championships, and we hope to see a host of French medals!
