Start lists for the opening men's 10km sprint at the Biathlon World Cup in Otepää, Estonia, were drawn on Wednesday. The race begins Thursday at 3:15 p.m. local time (2:15 p.m. French time), with France's Emilien Claude starting first among his teammates at bib 8 (3:19 p.m.). Favorites like Norway's Johannes Dale-Skjevdal (bib 42) feature in the red group.
The eighth stage of the 2025/2026 Biathlon World Cup is underway at Otepää's Tehvandi Sport Center, future host of the 2027 Championships. Following team announcements earlier in the week—with France maintaining its Kontiolahti lineup and Norway making one women's change—the men's 10km sprint start lists were revealed.
Kazakhstan's Vladislav Kireyev leads with bib 1, followed by early starters like Norway's Sondre Slettemark (2), Canada's Jacques Jefferies (4), Latvia's Andrejs Rastorgujevs (5), and Finland's Olli Hiidensalo (12).
The blue group opens with Czechia's Vitezslav Hornig (16), Slovenia's Jakov Fak (17), Sweden's Isak Frey (18), Austria's Simon Eder (20), France's Oscar Lombardot (24), and Switzerland's Niklas Hartweg (25).
Red group favorites include Norway's Johannes Dale-Skjevdal (42), Italy's Lukas Hofer (44), Vetle Sjaastad Christiansen (46), France's Quentin Fillon-Maillet (50), Emilien Jacquelin (52), overall leader Eric Perrot (yellow bib, 54), Fabien Claude (56), Sweden's Martin Ponsiluoma (60), and Sturla Holm Lægreid (68).
Later starters: Austria's Jeremy Finello (75) up to Russia's Alexandr Mukhin (105). French starters: Emilien Claude (3:19 p.m.), Lombardot (3:27 p.m.), Fillon-Maillet (3:40 p.m.), Jacquelin (3:41 p.m.), Perrot (3:42 p.m.), Fabien Claude (3:43 p.m.).
