NORDIC COMBINED Preview: Is Riiber still on a roll?

Norway's Jarl Magnus Riiber

There is only one question ahead of the two Gundersen competitions at Otepaa, Estonia this weekend, of a 97 m hill with a 10.0 km race: what will Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR) do?

Riiber has been the revelation of this season, with wins in four straight competitions until he skipped racing after some jumping troubles at the last event in Ramsau (AUT) last 23 December.

Riiber, 21, entered the season with a grant total of one World Cup win to his name. Now he has five and has won a medal in all five events he has completed this season. The current World Cup standings:

1. 480 Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR) ~ 2015 double World Junior Champion
2. 295 Johannes Rydzek (GER) ~ 2018 Olympic gold medalist
3. 267 Jorgen Graabak (NOR) ~ 2014 Olympic gold medalist
4. 250 Mario Seidl (AUT)
5. 237 Franz-Joseph Rehrl (AUT)

This is the first-ever Nordic Combined World Cup in Estonia; last year’s scheduled stop was cancelled due to weather conditions. Along with the men will be a Continental Cup event for women, with 25 competitors expected. American Tara Geraghty-Moats won the first three events on the circuit this season – all held in the U.S. – but Gyda Westvold-Hansen (NOR) has the Continental Cup points lead, 310-300.

Competitions are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Look for results here.