The Swedish 22-year-old, who made it on to the podium for a fourth time this month, is emerging as a contender for the overall title this year and has consolidated that threat by crossing the line first today in a time of 29min 27sec with two penalty laps.

France's Julia Simon was just four seconds adrift in the end, but a late penalty lap stopped her from claiming the crown, but she was far enough in front of bronze medallist Hanna Öberg to take the silver.

The two sisters were separated by 11.6 seconds.

Overall leader Norway's Marte Olsbu Røiseland was just a few seconds from the podium in fourth, with her performance ensuring the cut to her lead was not drastic.

Italian Lisa Vittozzi completed the top five, followed by familiar top biathletes France's Anaïs Bescond and Austrian Lisa Theresa Hauser.

Completing the top 10 were Russians Svetlana Mironova and Kristina Reztsova, and Dorothea Wierer of Italy.

Elvira Öberg is now second in the standings behind Røiseland.

Quentin Fillon Maillet of France had a faultless run in the men's 12.5km pursuit race, finishing far in front of the rest of the field with the gold medal in 30:58.3.

His closest challenger was Russian Eduard Latypov, who took his second silver in as many days, beating Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen of Norway by 0.1 seconds.

The pair were 16 seconds behind the winner.

Anton Smolski of Belarus and yesterday's sprint winner and defending World Cup champion Johannes Thingnes Bø of Norway were fourth and fifth.

Only eight points -the equivalent of finishing 33rd in one race - separate the top five athletes in the standings, with Fillon Maillet's victory moving him into first above Sweden's Sebastian Samuelsson, who finished 11th today.

Émilien Jacquelin of France is third in the standings, having finished ninth.

Christiansen and Latypov are fourth and fifth overall.