That completed a Norwegian double on the day following the earlier victory in the women’s individual event of his compatriot Gyda Westvold Hansen, who secured her tenth World Cup win.

Riiber established himself in the lead after the ski jumping competition on HS98 as, in wintry conditions, he produced the furthest jump of the day with 98.5 metres, scoring 136.9 points - to earn the right to set off first in the subsequent 10 kilometres race in the WM-Stadium.

Second after jumping - thanks to a 95m jump that earned 130 points - was the Japanese competitor who had won the previous day’s PCR event, Ryota Yamamoto.

Home athlete Franz-Josef Rehrl - who reached 93.5m to earn 124.1 points, moved on in third place, 51 seconds behind Riiber.

With the strong skiers Jens Luraas Oftebro of Norway, who reached 91.5m, and is a minute behind the leader, and Vinzenz Geiger of Germany, who reached 90.5m and is 1:07 within striking distance, a tight fight for the podium could be expected.

Riiber made a strong start and was 42.6sec ahead of his direct pursuers after half the race, by which time Yamamoto had dropped out of the top three as the powerful skiers moved up.

Geiger led the chasing group after five kilometres, closely followed by Australia’s Johannes Lamparter at 43sec back, ahead of Oftebro, Julian Schmid from Germany and Finland's Ilkka Herola.

On the last lap Oftebro moved up to second, just under a second faster than Geiger, but Riiber held on to secure his 53^rd World Cup win.

Geiger and Oftebro went down the home stretch together and delivered an exciting finish sprint which required a photo-finish, which the Norwegian, at 7.9sec behind Riiber, narrowly won as Geiger was timed at eight seconds back.

Like Riiber, Hansen also secured victory in the opening jumping event.

The Norwegian took a 42-second lead into the concluding five kilometres race after her jump of 95 metres had earned a total of 128.4 points.

Second place after jumping, and overall, went to home athlete Lisa Hirner, who began the day with a 93 metre effort worth 118 points.

Germany’s Nathalie Armbruster earned third place in the first event with a 93 metre jump worth 117.5 points.

The Norwegian extended her margin of victory at the finish to 56.8 seconds.

Hirner secured her best career result with second place, with Armbruster third at 58.5sec behind the leader.

Men's and women's competition continues tomorrow.