The battle for the Nordic Combined crystal globe begins

A season without championships - an occurrence experienced in the Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup only every four years... as a consequence, the fight for the yellow bib and the crystal globe will take up everyone’s main focus in the winter of 2019/20. The Nordic Opening in Ruka (FIN) is only a week away, high-time to look at what it takes to win an overall, a list of contenders for day or multiple wins and at this winter's central stages, the Viessmann FIS Nordic Combined World Cup venues.

But what is the secret behind winning a crystal globe? Constantly performing on a high level is known to be more difficult than winning a title event where one good day can mean a medal and title but still, in Nordic Combined some athletes have shown an almost miraculous consistency.

Jason Lamy Chappuis (FRA), Kenji Ogiwara (JPN) and Ronny Ackermann (GER) brought home the crystal globe three times in total, Hannu Manninen (FIN) achieved it four times and legend Eric Frenzel (GER) has five crystal globes at home. And there are others, who might not have always taken the top spot, like Japan’s Akito Watabe, who only won the globe once but has been on the overall podium for the last eight, we repeat, eight years. With Jarl Magnus Riiber, a new star has been rising last season, matching Hannu Manninen’s record of 12 wins a season.

So of course, looking at the favourites for the 2019/20 globe, everyone will look to the 22-year-old from Oslo but other contenders for World Cup victories might come from his own and other teams:

Norway
With Espen Bjørnstad, a new good jumper made his way up the ranks or a strong team but also strong skiers Jørgen Graabak should not be underestimated next to Riiber.

Germany
Can Eric Fenzel, Johannes Rydzek, Fabian Rießle and co connect to their best performances from the past and put a word in for the yellow bib this year? Or maybe rising star Vinzenz Geiger will continue his ascend and pick up where he left off last winter?

Austria
Unfortunately, Mario Seidl’s injury at the Summer Grand Prix in Planica will prevent him from taking the next steps already this winter but teammate Franz-Josef Rehrl was in strong shape over the summer and claimed the Summer Grand Prix overall win on the back of his three-medal triumph at the World Championships in Seefeld (AUT).

Japan
Can the great Akito Watabe step up once again? After a fantastic winter 2017/18 that ended with the Overall World cup win, the 31-year-old found that he is still motivated to go after even loftier goals. If he starts the season on the right foot, he might develop into a main adversary for Riiber.

Finland
With Ilkka Herola and Eero Hirvonen, the Finnish team has two athletes, who already know podium air. Maybe one of them can bring Finland the much-desired first individual victory since Hannu Manninen in January 2010.

France
After the retirement of the remaining two members of the “golden generation” Maxime Laheurte and Francois Braud, head coach Etienne Gouy has to start building a team with the next generation of French athlete. Antoine Gerard’s victory in the Summer Grand Prix can be seen as a positive sign for the future.

Italy
Also 26-year-old Samuel Costa has displayed strong performances in the Summer Grand Prix and team veteran Alessandro Pittin is always to be reckoned with on a small jumping hill.

In total, 24 events at 11 venues are waiting for the athletes and the first weekend in Ruka (FIN), which is only a week away will probably make it easier to identify favourites going forward. Stops in Lillehammer (NOR) and Ramsau am Dachstein (AUT) follow before Christmas, before the new year takes the athletes to Val di Fiemme (ITA), the pre-World Championships in Oberstdorf (GER), the Nordic Combined TRIPLE in Seefeld (AUT), Otepää (EST), Trondheim (NOR), Lahti (FIN), Oslo (NOR) and Schonach (GER).

Next to the yellow bib, athletes also compete for the blue bib of the best ski jumper and the red bib of the best skier of the field. Both trophy winners will receive a medal and their share of prize money at the end of the season for winning one of the two discipline standings in Nordic Combined.

Everything’s set for the winter 2019/20 to write new stories, create new heroes and find a new and worthy owner for the crystal globe.

You can find the full World Cup calendar here.
Season Key Facts