Biathlon, Italy starts World Cup with a bang: two podiums on opening weekend

Italy’s Olympic-season start in biathlon could hardly have gone better. In the opening World Cup weekend in Östersund, the Azzurri took two podiums: one in the women’s relay and another in the mixed relay, giving the squad a timely confidence boost for the weeks ahead.

The tone is a marked contrast to the early months of last season, when podiums proved elusive. With Lisa Vittozzi sidelined by injury and Dorothea Wierer not at her best, Italy waited until the fifth stop—and the 33rd race of the season—for a first podium, when Tommaso Giacomel broke through with his maiden career win in the Ruhpolding mass start.

This time, the pillars are back in place. Vittozzi has returned from a year-long hiatus after winning the 2023–24 overall World Cup and immediately looked decisive—fast and precise on the range and strong on skis. Wierer has arrived in excellent physical shape and laser-focused in training, determined to finish her career on a high. Giacomel appears increasingly confident and mature, while veteran Lukas Hofer continues to provide reliability in relay lineups.

Looking ahead, the second Östersund week begins on Tuesday with the women’s individual, the race that opens the chase for the overall crystal globe. With momentum from two relays and leaders back at full strength, Italy enters the next block in Sweden with optimism.