The latest agreement with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) means that Eurosport will now broadcast over 130 World Cup events across all major winter sports throughout the season, equating to over 1,000 hours of coverage.

Biathlon events which Eurosport will show include International Biathlon Union (IBU) World Cups from next season until the 2021-22 season, and the 2019, 2020 and 2021 IBU World Championships.

The deal also sees Eurosport, which has been broadcasting live sport for over 25 years, secure exclusive rights to key biathlon events in 27 countries.

Eurosport chief executive Peter Hutton expressed his delight at the agreement.

"Europe is undoubtedly the epicentre of biathlon," he said.

"Testament to that fact is that we regularly have up to a million people across Europe watching the sport on our channels.

"Over the next four years, we will continue to find new ways to innovate, whether that be through programming or short-form content that complements our programming."

Ingolfur Hannesson, head of sports rights for winter sports at EBU Sport, added: "We are really pleased to have extended our long-term partnership with Eurosport, which secures extensive coverage on various platforms across the European territory.

"Eurosport continues to be one of the key players in the amazing onwards and upwards development of biathlon."

In the lead-up to the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, Eurosport will show 100 short-form broadcasts, which will explain the intricacies of various winter sports as well as tell stories of athletes from both past and present.

The channel will broadcast Pyeongchang 2018 across Europe following an agreement signed between the International Olympic Committee and Discovery Communications, the parent company of the pan-European television sports network, in 2015.