The 26-year-old began the ski jumping season in fine form, winning three World Cup legs and topping the standings.

However, he suffered a hip injury competing in Innsbruck earlier this month and has now surrendered the World Cup lead to Poland's Four Hills winner Kamil Stoch.

He will return to action with the World Cup season taking a break for the ski flying action which takes place on a much larger hill than regular ski jumping competition.

"Now I've had some time for physical therapy after my crash in Innsbruck and I'm optimistic that I will be able to jump well at the Ski Flying World Championships," said Freitag. 

"I'm not 100 per cent pain-free, but I'm confident that it will be fine. 

"I'm looking forward to cool days of ski flying, a great atmosphere in Oberstdorf and, of course, to being back with the team again. 

"We will have a blast for four days."

Germany's Andreas Wellinger holds the hill record in Oberstdorf so could also be a threat, alongside Stoch. 

Austria's Stefan Kraft and Norway's Andreas Stjernen, a Ski Flying World Cup winner this term, could also be contenders.

Slovenia's defending champion Peter Prevc, who won in 2016, has rarely troubled the podium at recent events.

Qualifying will be held tomorrow before two individual rounds on Friday (January 19) and Saturday (January 20).

A team event will conclude competition on Sunday (January 21).

The women's World Cup season will also continue tomorrow with World Cup qualifying action in Zao in Japan.

Norway's Maren Lundby will look to extend her advantage at the top of the overall standings with her nearest challenger, Germany's Katharina Althaus, opting to stay at home with one eye on the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics in February.

With reigning Olympic champion Carina Vogt of Germany also missing for the same reason, Lundby's biggest competition could come from Japan's home jumper Sara Takanashi, last year's overall World Cup winner.