The Belarusian, who won gold in the women’s 15 kilometres, 10km pursuit and 12.5km mass start races at Sochi 2014, missed the entirety of last season due to recovering from mononucleosis before she had a baby in October.

Domracheva, the winner of the overall World Cup title in the 2014-15 season, gave birth to daughter Xenia three months after she married fellow biathlon star Ole Einar Bjørndalen of Norway, an eight-time Olympic champion.

She had been carefully training when pregnant and set a target of making her international return early this year.

The 30-year-old, also a double world champion, has not competed since an IBU World Cup event in Khanty-Mansiysk in Russia in March 2015.

Domracheva will take to the snow on Friday (December 6) in the women’s sprint race, which comes the day after the men’s equivalent officially opens the competition in Oberhof.

The Belarusian arrives in Germany keen to make her mark with the IBU World Championships in Hochfilzen in Austria, due to take place from February 6 to 19, looming large on the horizon.

Overall World Cup leader Laura Dalhmeier, who sits at the summit of the standings with 410 points, will only compete in the mass start event in Oberhof in order to rest up for the World Championships.

In the men’s event, defending World Cup champion and current leader Martin Fourcade of France will aim to continue his impressive form so far this campaign.

The double Olympic gold medallist enjoyed a dominant December, winning seven of the eight races and was part of two triumphant relay teams.

The 28-year-old Frenchman has a commanding lead at the top of the rankings on 468 points, 158 more than Russia's Anton Shipulin has currently amassed.

Following the sprint races, the men’s 12.5km and women’s 10km pursuit events are scheduled for Saturday (January 7) before the fourth World Cup of the season concludes the following day with the mass start competitions.