Two months ago, Einar Hedegart threatened to retire. Two days ago, he opened the door to a return to cross-country skiing if things went badly in Geilo, Norway. But now he won’t have to.

Eight out of ten on target and blistering speed on the track: what Einar Hedegart delivered on day one of the season opener was a completely different story from the Norwegian Championships less than two months ago. Back then, he missed seven shots in the sprint.

On the track, few can match the 25-year-old who won two Olympic gold medals in cross-country skiing last winter.

“He is a biathlete now, Einar Hedegart. In case anyone was in doubt,” the commentators declared after his excellent race in Geilo.

“He is back on plan A,” said NRK’s new commentator Alexander Os.

Plan A is to go straight to the IBU Cup season opener in two weeks. Even though Hedegart also beat several athletes from the elite national team, the door to the World Cup opener is closed. Norway can send six men there, and all six have already been preselected.

Hedegart himself gave his first proper race in the national team suit a passing grade.

“It’s very satisfying to have a good biathlon race. I’ve earned it, and you’ve earned it. This is much more like what I’ve been doing in training,” Hedegart told NRK after crossing the finish line.

Read More: Season openers in cross-country skiing and biathlon: program and TV times

The favorites settle the podium

But there is still a small step up to the podium, and there was little anyone could do about home favorite Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen. Despite one miss, the veteran cruised to a clear victory, 7.8 seconds ahead of the flawless Sturla Holm Lægreid.

Johan-Olav Botn, with two misses, snatched the last podium spot, one second ahead of Hedegart.

French World Cup winner Eric Perrot barely made the top 20.

The season opener in Geilo continues with a mass start on Sunday.

Also Read – Biathlon World Cup: Calendar for the 2026/2027 winter season

Norwegian season opener 2026 results

Top 5 Men, Sprint, Geilo

1. Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen, Norway (0-1), 23:32.8
2. Sturla Holm Lægreid, Norway (0-0), +7.8
3. Johan-Olav Botn, Norway (1-1), +22.1
4. Einar Hedegart, Norway (1-1), +23.4
5. Emilien Claude, France (0-1), +31.0

Complete results can be found HERE when available.

Read More – Surprise winner in Geilo: Ytterhus beats Olympic stars and Norway’s national team

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