2020 Nordic Combined World Cup Winner Predictions: Riiber is top favorite

By: Eniko

Posted: October 27, 2019

Updated: February 17, 2020

Norwegian Jarl Magnus Riiber is defending champion
Nordic Combine World Cup season starts on the 28th of November in Ruka, Finland
Main opponents are German Rydzek and Austrian Rehrl

Image source:Korea.net / Korean Culture and Information Service (Photographer name) / CC BY-SA via Wikimedia Commons

Reigning champion Jarl Magnus Riiber is the top favorite to win the world cup next season again. In the 2020 Nordic Combined World Cup winner predictions, his odds are 1.40 to win again. Riiber is well ahead of the others in the winning odds after winning 12 races out of 21 last season. He finished with 1518 points at the end, while Japanese Akito Watabe in the second place had only 893 points.

2020 Nordic Combined World Cup Winner Predictions: Riiber looks unbeatable

From his performance last season, it looks very unlikely for anyone to beat the Norwegian next season. He had his breakthrough last year, at the age of 21. He has reached the top after competing in the World Cup since 2014 and winning his first race in 2016. In the world championship this year he also won the gold medal in individual normal hill and in the team event. Riiber is the ninth Norwegian to win the nordic combined trophy, their last win came in 1999 thanks to Bjarte Engen Vik. Riiber was so dominant last season that he had already won the title during the season, with four events left to compete. Akito Watabe was the defending champion before Riiber, but he only managed to win five medals all season. As he was consistent, finishing in the top ten on 17 occasions, he managed to finish in second place overall. But in the 2020 Nordic Combined World Cup winner predictions, his odds are only 10.00 to win the title.

Athletes who can get to the podium

German skier, Johannes Rydzek has finished fourth in the overall standing in the previous season. He is a more experienced skier at 27, he has been competing since 2006. Rydzek had his best season in 2017 when he won four gold medals in the world championship. That year he was voted as the Sports Personality of the Year in Germany.

2020 Nordic Combined World Cup Winner Predictions prefer Rydzek — *Johannes Rydzek at the 19' Seefeld* - Image source: Ailura, CC BY-SA 3.0 AT / CC BY-SA 3.0 AT via Wikimedia Commons

He has won two gold in the Olympic Games in 2018 as well, in individual large hill and in the team relay. But despite all his wins and trophies, Rydzek has never won the overall World Cup title, he might try it again in the coming season. His odds are 7.00 at the 1XBET sportsbook. Online sportsbooks in Norway are also mentioning Austrian skier, Franz-Josef Rehrl as Riiber’s challenger. He finished third last season in the overall standing. Rehrl hasn’t got too many big results before 2018, he got his first podium last November and his first World Cup win this January. But he is one of the best jumpers in the field, he won the Best Jumper Trophy in 2018-19 ahead of Riiber. And if he can improve on his cross-country skiing, he might get even better results in the future. He has the same odds at 1XBET as Rydzek, 7.00 for the final win.