Holmenkollen, Norway – The World Cup biathlon season draws to a close this weekend in Norway, with Andrejs Rastorgujevs, Renārs Birkentāls, and Rihards Lozbers set to compete for Latvia in the men’s 10-kilometer sprint on Saturday. The race, the ninth and final stage of the World Cup, is scheduled to initiate at 17:15 local time (11:15 AM ET), and will be broadcast live on LTV7 in Latvia.
Rastorgujevs, a seasoned veteran of the sport, will start with the 10th bib number, placing him among the early contenders. Birkentāls will begin further back in the field with the 67th bib, while the youngest member of the Latvian team, 17-year-old Rihards Lozbers – celebrating his birthday on Saturday – will start 91st among a field of 111 biathletes. Lozbers has already made history this season as the youngest biathlete to earn World Cup points.
This final sprint presents an opportunity for the Latvian team to finish the season strong. Birkentāls has been the most consistent sprinter for Latvia this season, achieving a notable 18th-place finish in Rūpolding. The sprint race is a crucial component of the overall World Cup standings, and a strong performance could improve the athletes’ final rankings.
The men’s sprint competition is led by Sweden’s Sebastian Samuelsson, who holds a 45-point advantage over third-place finisher Eric Perrot of France. Italy’s Tommaso Giacomel, the previous runner-up, has concluded his season and will not be competing for the Small Crystal Globe. Birkentāls currently sits in 35th place in the sprint standings with 43 points, while Rastorgujevs is 52nd with 22 points. Lozbers, despite his young age and promising potential, is yet to accumulate points in sprint events this season.
Looking at the overall World Cup standings across all disciplines, Perrot and Samuelsson are separated by 244 points. Rastorgujevs is currently 36th Birkentāls is 41st, and Lozbers is 87th. In the U-23 standings, Lozbers holds a commendable 13th position, highlighting his potential as a rising star in the sport.
The competition in Holmenkollen is expected to be fierce, with athletes vying for final points and positioning before the season concludes. The sprint will be followed by pursuit races on Saturday and a mass start event on Sunday, bringing the 2025-2026 World Cup season to a close. The conditions in Holmenkollen are currently favorable for biathlon, with cold temperatures and stable snow, though athletes will need to adapt to potential wind gusts during the shooting stages.
For Rastorgujevs, this race represents another opportunity to showcase his experience and skill on the World Cup stage. He has participated in three Winter Olympics and has earned multiple World Cup podium finishes throughout his career. Birkentāls, continuing his upward trajectory, will aim to build on his previous successes and secure a top finish. Lozbers, meanwhile, will be focused on gaining valuable experience and demonstrating his potential as a future leader for the Latvian biathlon team.
The pursuit races on Saturday will feature the top 60 finishers from the sprint, while Sunday’s mass start will bring all athletes together for one final, thrilling competition. Fans can follow the action live on LTV7 in Latvia and through updates on the International Biathlon Union’s official website.
Following the conclusion of the World Cup in Norway, the biathlon world will turn its attention to preparations for the next season, with athletes and teams analyzing their performances and strategizing for future success. The upcoming World Cup stages in Oberhof and Ruhpolding, Germany, and Nové Město, Czech Republic, are already being anticipated by fans and athletes alike.
What’s Next: The men’s pursuit race is scheduled for Saturday, followed by the mass start on Sunday, concluding the World Cup season. Stay tuned to Archysport for full coverage and analysis.
