The Nordic family meets in Oberstdorf (GER)

Surrounded by the Bavarian Alps, the southern most municipality of Germany is the place to be for Nordic fans during this upcoming weekend. Oberstdorf is ready for the World Cup weekend of the FIS Cross-Country and FIS Nordic Combined family who are excited to test the courses and installations in regard to the Nordic World Ski Championships 2021 which will take place in Oberstdorf from 23rd February to 7th March 2021. All information for the upcoming World Championships can be found here.

Pre-competition facts Saturday, 25th January 2020

Skiathlon women

• Therese Johaug has won seven skiathlon World Cup events, including in Lillehammer on 7 December 2019. She could now equal's Marit Bjørgen's all-time record of eight skiathlon World Cup wins.

• The last skier to win consecutive skiathlon events in the World Cup was Johaug herself, from December 2015 to February 2016.

• Johaug finished on the podium in 14 of her 15 appearances in a skiathlon World cup event, including in each of the last 10. The only time Johaug failed claim a top-three finish was in Oberstdorf on 3 January 2011 (Tour de Ski), when she finished in seventh place.

• Johaug (14) already holds the all-time record for most podium finishes in skiathlon World Cup events.

• Among women, only Bjørgen (62) has won more individual distance World Cup events than Johaug (56).

• Johaug has won 12 World Cup events this season (including Tour stages and overall Tour wins). Only in 2015/16 (19) and last season (13) did she win more events in a single World Cup season.

• Johaug (9) could win at least 10 individual distance events in a single World Cup season for the third time, after 2015/16 (14) and 2018/19 (10).

• Johaug finished on the podium in 25 of her last 26 individual distance appearances in the World Cup and world championships, including 22 wins. The only exception was a fourth place in the 10km classic style in Val di Fiemme on 3 January 2020 (Tour de Ski).

• Johaug has recorded only one individual distance World Cup victory on German soil, a triumph in the 10km classic style event in Oberstdorf on 6 January 2016 (Tour de Ski).

• Ingvild Flugstad Østberg has won the last three World Cup events in Oberstdorf, all distance events as part of the Tour de Ski in 2018 and 2019.

• Østberg shares the record of three individual World Cup victories (all disciplines) in Oberstdorf with Marit Bjørgen. Østberg (5) already is the skier to claim most individual podium finishes in Oberstdorf.

• Only Therese Johaug (10) and Heidi Weng (7) have claimed more podium finishes in individual distance World Cup event this season than Østberg (4). Østberg won once this season, the 10km pursuit classic style in Toblach on 1 January (Tour de Ski).

• Østberg's best result in a skiathlon World Cup event was a third place in Lahti (2x7.5km) on 21 February 2016.

• Skiers from Norway have won all 11 individual distance events in this season's World Cup: Therese Johaug (9), Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (1) and Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen (1).

• The last non-Norwegian skier to win an individual distance World Cup event was Stina Nilsson: the 10km classic style during the World Cup Final in Quebec on 23 March 2019.

• Heidi Weng has recorded seven podium finishes in individual distance World Cup events this season but has yet to claim her first victory in 2019/20. Only Johaug (10) has claimed more podium finishes this season.

• Weng's most recent individual distance World Cup win was in the 9km pursuit in Val di Fiemme (Tour de Ski) on 7 January 2018.

• Weng has won one World Cup skiathlon event, the 2x7.5km event in Canmore (Ski Tour Canada) on 9 March 2016.

• Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen's only skiathlon World Cup victory came in Falun on 23 February 2008. She is the youngest winner of a skiathlon event in the World Cup (21 years and 32 days).

• The last female skier from Russia to win a skiathlon World Cup event was Yulia Tchekaleva in Rybinsk on 25 January 2015.

• Krista Pärmäkoski can become the third woman from Finland to win a skiathlon World Cup race, after Riitta-Liisa Roponen in Falun on 21 March 2009 (World Cup Final) and Marja-Liisa Kirvesniemi in Oslo on 4 March 1989 (first ever skiathlon event).

• The only non-European winner of a women's skiathlon World Cup event is Beckie Scott, who won representing Canada in Oberstdorf and Sapporo in 2006.

Pre-competition facts Saturday, 25th January 2020

Skiathlon men

• Alexander Bolshunov is the leader in the overall World Cup standings and the distance standings.

• Bolshunov won both World Cup events in Nové Mesto na Morave last weekend, the 15km freestyle and the 15km pursuit classic style. The last skier to win three consecutive individual World Cup events was Johannes Høsflot Klæbo in December 2017.

• Bolshunov has won nine individual distance World Cup events, a joint-record among men from Russia (including Soviet Union and CIS) alongside Sergey Ustiugov and Alexei Prokurorov.

• In all disciplines (including Tour stages and overall Tour wins), only Ustiugov (17) has won more World Cup events for Russia (including Soviet Union and CIS) than Bolshunov (12). Alexander Legkov also won 12 World Cup events.

• Bolshunov won the 2x15km skiathlon event in Lillehammer on 9 December 2019. The only Russian skier (including Soviet Union and CIS) to win multiple skiathlon events in the World Cup is Maxim Vylegzhanin (2).

• The only skiers to win multiple skiathlon events in a single World Cup season are Martin Johnsrud Sundby (3 in 2015/16) and Tobias Angerer (2 in 2005/06).

• Johannes Høsflot Klæbo is in second place behind Alexander Bolshunov in the overall World Cup standings. Klæbo is currently ranked third in the distance standings.

• Only Petter Northug (47), Bjørn Dæhlie (46) and Martin Johnsrud Sundby (44) have won more World Cup events (including Tour stages and overall Tour wins) than Klæbo (34).

• Each of Klæbo's last four individual distance World Cup victories were stages as part of the Tour de Ski or World Cup Final.

• Klæbo is tied with Bolshunov on 10 podium finishes in all disciplines this World Cup season (including Tour stages and overall Tour wins). Klæbo has won six events, Bolshunov five.

• Klæbo won the 2x15km skiathlon event in Lillehammer on 3 December 2017. The only Norwegians to win multiple skiathlon events in the World Cup are Northug (4) and Sundby (3).

• Sergey Ustiugov is third in the overall World Cup standings. He missed last weekend's events in Nové Mesto na Morave as he became a father.

• Ustiugov has claimed five podium finishes in individual distance events this season, one short of his personal record in a single season: six in 2016/17 (including 4 wins).

• Ustiugov is tied with Alexander Bolshunov and Alexei Prokurorov on a record nine individual distance World Cup wins among men from Russia (including Soviet Union and CIS).

• Ustiugov (17) is two victories short of entering the all-time top-10 for most among men (including Tour stages and overall Tour wins). Lukáš Bauer and Eldar Rønning (19 each) are in joint-10th place.

• Ustiugov won the most recent skiathlon event in Oberstdorf, the 2x10km as part of the Tour de Ski on 3 January 2017. No skier has won multiple skiathlon events in Oberstdorf.

• The only Russian skier (including Soviet Union and CIS) to win multiple skiathlon events in the World Cup is Maxim Vylegzhanin (2).

• Norwegian skiers claimed five of the last six podium finishes in skiathlon World Cup events, in two events in Lillehammer (2017, 2019). The only exception was Alexander Bolshunov's win on 9 December 2019.

• Hans Christer Holund finished on the podium of the last two skiathlon events, third in December 2017 and second in December 2019.

• Only Anders Södergren (6) has claimed more podium finishes in skiathlon events without ever winning than Holund (4).

• Martin Johnsrud Sundby has won 44 World Cup races (including Tour stages and overall Tour wins). Only Petter Northug (47) and Bjørn Dæhlie (46) have won more men's World Cup events.

• Sundby can become the first man to win a World Cup event (including Tour stages and overall Tour wins) in 12 different seasons. He currently shares the record of 11 with Northug, Tor Arne Hetland and Vladimir Smirnov.

• Sundby has claimed at least one podium finish in a World Cup event (including Tour stages and overall Tour standings) in 12 different seasons. Only Smirnov (14), Lukáš Bauer (13) and Pietro Piller Cottrer (13) have claimed podium finishes in at least 13 different men's World Cup seasons.

• Only Northug (4), Tobias Angerer (4) and Dario Cologna (4) have won more skiathlon events in the World Cup than Sundby (3). Sundby's best results this season was a fifth-place finish in the 2x15km skiathlon in Lillehammer.

• Emil Iversen has claimed two of his four individual distance World Cup wins in Oberstdorf.

• Iivo Niskanen has won four individual distance World Cup events, equal to Jari Isometsä and Matti Heikkinen in third place among Finnish men. Only Mika Myllylä (10) and Harri Kirvesniemi (6) have won more.

Pre-competition facts Saturday, 26th January 2020

Sprint C women

• Maiken Caspersen Falla won four of the last five individual sprint classic style World Cup events in which she competed, including the last three. The only exception in that run was a fourth place in Ruka on 24 November 2018.

• Only Marit Bjørgen (16) and Petra Majdic (14) have won more individual sprint classic style events in the World Cup than Falla (11).

• In total, Falla has won 20 individual sprint World Cup events, joint-second most among women alongside Majdic. Only Bjørgen (40) has won more.

• Falla has claimed 50 podium finishes in individual sprint World Cup events, trailing only Bjørgen (60) for most among women.

• Falla has yet to claim her first individual sprint World Cup win in Germany. Her best result was a third place in the freestyle event in Düsseldorf on 20 December 2008.

• Falla (8) could become the fourth woman to win an individual sprint World Cup event in nine different countries, after Bjørgen, Stina Nilsson and Justyna Kowalczyk (all 9).

• Falla could become the second Norwegian woman to win an individual sprint event in Oberstdorf, after Ella Gjømle Berg on 22 January 2006 (classic style).

• Anamarija Lampic won two individual sprint events this World Cup season, both sprint stages in the 2019/20 Tour de Ski, and leads the overall sprint World Cup standings.

• Lampic (2) and Linn Svahn (2) are the only women to have claimed multiple sprint victories in this season's World Cup.

• Lampic's only World Cup win outside the Tour de Ski was a victory in the sprint classic style in Pyeongchang on 3 February 2017.

• The only female skiers representing Slovenia to claim more podium finishes in the World Cup (including Tour stages and overall Tour wins) than Lampic (4) are Petra Majdic (49) and Vesna Fabjan (6).

• Linn Svahn won the most recent individual sprint event in the World Cup, the sprint freestyle event in Dresden on 11 January. It was her second individual victory in the World Cup, after she won the individual sprint (freestyle) in Davos on 14 December 2019.

• Among Swedish women, only Stina Nilsson (18) and Hanna Falk (4) have won at least three individual sprint World Cup events.

• Svahn has won four of the seven World Cup events (all disciplines) in which she participated: two individual sprint and two team sprint events.

• Only Charlotte Kalla (6) and Elena Välbe (5) won more than four women's World Cup events (all disciplines) before their 21st birthday. Therese Johaug also won four times before turning 21.

• Svahn could become the second female skier to win three individual sprint World Cup events before her 21st birthday, after Pirjo Muranen (3).

• Only Norwegian women (8) have claimed more individual sprint World Cup wins in Germany than Sweden (5). Swedish skiers have won the last three individual sprint events in Germany.

• Jonna Sundling could become the third Swedish woman to win three individual sprint World Cup events, after Stina Nilsson (18) and Hanna Falk (4).

• Never before have three different Swedish skiers won an individual sprint event in a single World Cup season.

• Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen has recorded two individual sprint podium finishes in Oberstdorf: third places in January and December 2011. Justyna Kowalczyk (2) is the only other woman on multiple podium finishes in individual sprint World Cup events in Oberstdorf.

• Uhrenholdt Jacobsen (16) holds the record for most podium places in women's individual sprint World Cup events without ever winning.

• Coming into this weekend, Ingvild Flugstad Østberg is tied with Marit Bjørgen on a record three individual World Cup wins in Oberstdorf.

• Following her victory on 5 January 2016, Sophie Caldwell could become the first woman to win two individual sprint World Cup events in Oberstdorf.

• The most recent US woman to win an individual sprint World Cup event was Jessica Diggins in the sprint freestyle in Cogne on 16 February 2019.

• The last woman from Russia to win an individual sprint World Cup event was Yulia Belorukova in Ruka on 24 November 2018 (classic style).

Pre-competition facts Saturday, 26th January 2020

Sprint C men

• Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has won 20 individual sprint World Cup events, at least four more than any other athlete (Emil Jönsson follows on 16).

• Klæbo has won each of the last 12 individual sprint World Cup events he appeared in, since an 11th-place finish in the 3-Days Tour (freestyle) in Lillehammer on 30 November 2018 (Federico Pellegrino win).

• Klæbo has won eight of the last nine individual sprint classic style World Cup events, including each of the last four. The exception was Alexander Bolshunov's win in Ruka on 24 November 2018.

• No skier has won five consecutive individual sprint classic style events in the World Cup.

• Only Ola Vigen Hattestad (32), Tor Arne Hetland (30) and Pellegrino (28) have claimed more podium finishes in individual sprint World Cup events than Klæbo (26).

• Klæbo has yet to win a sprint World Cup event on German soil. Klæbo has won an individual sprint World Cup event in nine different countries, most of all skiers alongside Pellegrino who has already won in Germany.

• The last nine individual sprint World Cup events were won by either Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (7) or Lucas Chanavat (2).

• Lucas Chanavat won the most recent individual sprint event, in Dresden on 11 January. The last skier other than Klæbo to win consecutive individual sprint World Cup events was Sergey Ustiugov in December 2016.

• Chanavat already is the French skier to win most individual sprint World Cup events (2) and claim most individual sprint World Cup podium finishes (9).

• Coming into the weekend in Oberstdorf, the only French skiers to win more World Cup events (including Tour stages and overall Tour wins) than Chanavat (3) are Vincent Vittoz (11) and Maurice Manificat (10).

• The last eight individual sprint World Cup events held in Germany were won by eight different skiers.

• In Oberstdorf, the 12 podium finishes in four individual sprint World Cup events (all in classic style) were divided among 12 different skiers. The most recent sprint event in Oberstdorf was held on 5 January 2016, when Emil Iversen won ahead of Sergey Ustiugov and Alexey Poltoranin.

• Five of Alexander Bolshunov'ssix podium finishes in individual sprint events were in classic style events, including his only win in Ruka on 24 November 2018.

• Bolshunov has won two individual World Cup events in a row coming into the weekend in Oberstdorf. The last man to win more than three consecutive individual World Cup events was Sergey Ustiugov from December 2016 to January 2017 (5 in a row).

• Federico Pellegrino has won 13 career sprint World Cup events, joint-third most all-time among men alongside Ola Vigen Hattestad. Only Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (20) and Emil Jönsson (16) won more.

• Pellegrino has claimed 28 podium finishes in individual sprint World Cup events, third most all-time among men behind Hattestad (32) and Tor Arne Hetland (30).

• Pellegrino has won only one individual sprint classic style event in the World Cup, in Canmore on 8 March 2016 (Ski Tour Canada).

• Pellegrino could become the only male skier to win an individual sprint World Cup event in each of the last six seasons.

• Richard Jouve (9) is the male skier to have claimed most World Cup podium finishes (including Tour stages and overall Tour wins) without ever winning.