The country has failed to finish in the top three on either the men's or women's circuit so far this campaign.

It has led to concerns about the nation's performance in the sport at this year's Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, where eligible athletes will have to compete as neutrals due to the doping crisis.

"It seems to me that talking about heavy workloads is an excuse," two-time Olympic gold medallist Dmitry Vasiliev told Sovetsky Sport.

"The Olympic Games will show who was right, but somehow anxiously already - half a season has passed, but there are no [good] results."

The event in Ruhpolding is due to begin tomorrow with the men's 20 kilometres individual event, where Martin Fourcade of France will bid to strengthen his lead at the top of the overall leaderboard.

Fourcade, the double Olympic champion who is aiming for a seventh consecutive World Cup crown, claimed victory in both races held during the last stop on the series in Oberhof.

The French star currently has a total of 552 points, 38 clear of nearest challenger Johannes Thingnes Bø of Norway.

Jakov Fak of Slovenia follows in third but is some way adrift of the top two as he has 372 points.

Women's overall leader Anastasia Kuzmina of Slovakia, the double Olympic gold medallist, replicated Fourcade's performance in Oberhof as she triumphed in the two women's events in the German city.

Kuzmina's first chance to extend her advantage will come on Thursday (January 11) during the women's 15km individual race.

The Slovakian has 422 points, with Kaisa Mäkäräinen of Finland second on 375.

French biathlete Justine Braisaz is third having amassed 368 points.

The event in Ruhpolding concludes with the men's and women's mass start events on Sunday (January 14).