Fourcade, the defending World Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist, won the 20 kilometres individual race earlier in the week and proved too strong again, clocking 23min 31.9sec to take gold in the 10km sprint.

Double World Championships bronze medallist Fredrik Lindström delivered success for the host nation by clinching silver, 41.5 seconds adrift, while third went to Germany's Arnd Peiffer.

All three athletes managed to navigate the course without any shooting penalties but Fourcade was much quicker on the skiis as he surged to his 51st World Cup triumph.

The Frenchman, a 10-time world champion, leads the overall standings on 120 points, with Lindström second on 86.

Norwegian legend Ole Einar Bjørndalen, winner of eight Olympic gold medals during his long career, is third with a total of 69 points.

"Conditions today were very different from 20km," said Fourcade.

"It was much more difficult out there on the tracks.

"Today was a big battle against myself, and I won."

He added: "When you think that you have a two-bullets margin, this is very wrong in biathlon.

"I wonder if I can win three times in a row in Östersund; I have not done it yet and we will see tomorrow."

Double Olympic medallist Dorin Habert relied on clean shooting to secure victory in the women’s 7.5km race as she finished in a time of 20:09.07.

Finland’s Kaisa Mäkäräinen, the world champion in the discipline, challenged the Frenchwoman all the way until a single standing penalty pushed her into second place.

Mäkäräinen eventually ended 11.4 seconds back and Gabriela Koukalová of the Czech Republic crossed the line in third.

Germany’s Laura Dahlmeier is the overall leader on 103 points, with Dorin Habert’s win today moving her into second on 82 points.

Lisa Theresa Hauser of Austria sits third with 76 points.

The season-opening IBU World Cup event in Östersund is due to conclude tomorrow with the women’s 10km and men’s 12.5km pursuit races.