Having won the men’s sprint yesterday, the Norwegian Olympic champion triumphed yet again, finishing the 12.5 kilometre course in the Italian resort in 31min 33.7sec.

Biathletes from France completed the podium, with Antonin Guigonnat finishing second and Quentin Fillon Maillet third, 34.8 and 40.6 seconds behind respectively.

In "perfectly brilliant conditions", as described by the IBU, Bø gained the lead early on had left the first range before any of his pursuers arrived.

Significantly ahead already, the 25-year-old extended his lead going into the second prone stage but then missed a shot, allowing Guigonnat and Eder to catch up.

Bø extended his lead once again at the first standing and from then on the result seemed secure.

Today’s win sees him move onto 782 points atop the World Cup standings, 255 ahead of Russia’s Alexander Loginov, who finished seventh.

In the women’s racet, Italy’s Dorothea Wierer claimed her first victory at a home stadium.

She finished their 10km course in 29:20.1, exactly six seconds ahead of Germany’s double Olympic gold medallist Laura Dahlmeier.

Another Italian Lisa Vittozzi, who sits second in the overall standings, finished third, 16.2 seconds behind her compatriots,

"I am really happy because [winning] at home is even more difficult," Wierer said.

"Last year I was close, second and third and I was never in first.

"Today was the first time, I am so happy and it was the first victory in the pursuit.

"I saw the family on the tracks and the coaches, the whole stadium was cheering.

"It was a special moment."

Wierer now leads the overall standings on 592 points.

Tomorrow the World Cup is due to continue with men’s and women’s mass start races.

The World Junior Biathlon Championships are also scheduled to start in Osrblie in Slovakia.

That event will start with a men’s 12.5km contest and a women’s 10km race.

Last year in Estonia they were won by Russia’s Igor Malinovskii and Poland’s Kamila Zuk respectively.

The Championships are set to continue until February 3.