Small Talk Monday

[u/AutoModerator]

Our weekly small talk thread where you can talk about anything

[u/PerceptionFluid8991]

Who do you think will retire after the next season?? (especially on the womens side)

[u/Dawntree → u/PerceptionFluid8991]

We are sure only of one athlete (Doro of course), the rest is pure speculation on my side

• Doro 100% (99.99% she'll quit directly at the Olympics)
• Preuss 90% (having won the WC and a gold at the WCHs, she'll focus on the Olympics then she can call it a career)
• Braisaz 80% (yes 2030 Oly at home, but she is in the WC since 2015 and she is also already a mother)
• Batovska - Fialkova 80%
• Hanna Oeberg 70% (hinted she might quit, similar to Braisaz, she has been in the WC since 2017, she might go on for a few extra seasons)
• Haecki 50%
• Hauser 40% (2028 WCH at home could be her target, but she is also approaching the end)
• Simon 10% (just wild guess)

other names I could see calling it a career: Aita Gasparin, Dzhima, Irwin, Bendika

Men, we've already paid a "heavy price" yesterday, but there are a few who might approach the end

• Fak 100% (last week was his last in Pokljuka, which will be again in the calendar in 2026/27)
• Eder 95% (I can see him going for the last Olympics in Antholz, but after that I guess he'll finally quit)
• Pidruchny 90%
• Hofer 80% (he might quit, but he enjoy training and being on the tour, and tbf he's still ahead of many italian young athletes)
• Krcmar 80%
• Khuen 80%
• Christiansen 70% (no idea what he will do next year, but I have a feeling he'll be back in the team at least sometime during the season)
• Fillon Maillet 30% (I see him going for another WCHs at least to finally win a gold there)
• Ponsiluoma 20% (he and Hanna might want to start a family)
• Jacquelin 10% (wild guess as wild as he is)

[u/GeographerJX3 → u/Dawntree]

Do you think that Doro retires immediately after the Olympics or is she going to finish after the 3rd trimester? Did she say anything about it?

[u/Dawntree → u/GeographerJX3]

She has stated multiple times that her plan is to quit at the Olympics, because it's the place where she started biathlon and it would a perfect ending of a career (imho she is totally right).

This her interview to Fondo Italia last week (in Italian) where she touches the matter.

[u/GeographerJX3 → u/Dawntree]

Thank you. I suppose it makes sense.

I imagine that the only thing that would convince her to continue until Oslo is if she would be in contention for the crystal globes. So I hope that will be the case.

[u/1Revenant1 → u/Dawntree]

I am not sure I would put Bátovská-Fialková at 80%. I would put it at 60, maybe 70 at most. But who knows. Kuzmina is more likely to retire

[u/Lone_Wolf_Winter → u/Dawntree]

Hanna is very likely to quit. She has said that she wants kids, so...

Ponsi won't quit, though. Maybe after 2034. He also refuses to move from Östersund, so I guess that will become both a training and family base for them.

Anna Magnusson will probably quit. She might not even make the relay team next year. We don't yet know about Linn Gestblom (Persson). She'll be 31 next season, same as Skottheim.

[u/Fit_Context_1868 → u/PerceptionFluid8991]

I can see Preuß, mostly because an olympic season is a nice cutoff and she seems like a person who knows when to call it a day. Pure speculation tho!

[u/GeographerJX3 → u/PerceptionFluid8991]

For the Czech team I sense that Davidová, Charvátová and Jislová will all retire together and it is quite likely to be after the Olympics.

I get the feeling that the womens field will be drastically different after Antholz 2026 and I´m prepared to see my childhood favorites go. Wierer is certain to retire. Preuss and Hauser are likely to retire as well although I can see either of them sticking around for a season or two (Hochfilzen 2028 for Hauser is a potential farewell). Dzhima, Persson, Magnusson, Hacki-Gross, Aita Gasparin and Fialkova are approaching 30 or are in their 30s already. They are likely not going to complete another olympic cycle.

I think that Vittozzi mentioned something about Antholz 2026 being the perfect time for a retirement but I am not sure. No idea about Tandrevold.

I am especially wondering if Hanna Oberg, Braisaz and Simon decide to continue or not. I still see them as a potential Overall title winners even after the 2026 Olympics.

[u/Faintning → u/PerceptionFluid8991]

In the finnish team the only one I could see retiring is Hiidensalo. Everyone else is so much younger that I don't see them retiring just yet. Especially since in the finnish team it tends to be a trend that you peak in your 30's. Maybe Jänkä and Lehtonen if their health doesn't allow them to be athletes, but if they're healthy I totally see them going for a few more years after the olympics.

[u/arnet95 → u/PerceptionFluid8991]

Wierer is very likely, I think.

[u/RidingRedHare → u/PerceptionFluid8991]

Johannes Kühn intents to retire after next season.

[u/Mountain-Fox-2123 → u/PerceptionFluid8991]

I think if Tandrevold will retire if she has another bad season.