Russia's Elena Nikitina has taken an early lead in the women's skeleton World Cup standings after her victory last week in Igls ©Getty Images

Russian skeleton stars Elena Nikitina and Alexander Tretiakov will be aiming for successive wins on the second Innsbruck-Igls leg of the 2021-2022 International Bobsleigh Skeleton Federation (IBSF) World Cup, despite fierce competition after the first stage.

Nikitina claimed gold in the women's event at the Olympic Sliding Centre last week, finishing a tenth of a second in front of Dutch slider Kimberley Bos, while overhauling the lead of eventual-bronze medallist Kim Meylemans of Belgium on the second run.

The Moscow-born athlete has good form at this track, having won European titles here in 2013 and 2018, as well as bronze at the 2016 World Championships.

She also claimed two of her three wins last year at the track.

Her compatriot Alina Tararychenkova was fourth last week, while last season's World Cup winner Janine Flock of Austria will look to recover from a disappointing sixth, which ended her run of 10 podiums in-a-row.

Tretiakov was also winner twice last year in Igls, so should be considered one of the favourites, to add to his win last week.

Latvian Martins Dukurs was less than a tenth away last week and is the defending World Cup champion.

Germans Christopher Grotheer and Axel Jungk were behind the pair in third and fourth last week, while their team-mate and last year's overall silver medallist Alexander Gassner will aim to bounce back from eighth.

Another Russian, Vladislav Semonov, has only had two World Cup appearances, but his fifth last week was his best to date.

Germany's Johannes Lochner, left, and Francesco Friedrich, right, are expected to battle for two-man bob gold again at the second IBSF World Cup event at the Olympic Sliding Centre ©Getty Images
Germany's Johannes Lochner, left, and Francesco Friedrich, right, are expected to battle for two-man bob gold again at the second IBSF World Cup event at the Olympic Sliding Centre ©Getty Images

Germany are expected to dominate in the men's two-man bob event again with the two great rivals - Francesco Friedrich and Johannes Lochner - facing off.

Friedrich and Alexander Schüller won last time out in dominant fashion, but Lochner and Florian Bauer cannot be ruled out of contention for the gold.

Britons Brad Hall and Greg Cackett made the podium for the first time in the event with a bronze medal, having matched Lochner and Bauer in the first run.

In the women's event Laura Nolte and Leonie Fiebig were top of the tree in the last race, ahead of compatriots Kim Kalicki and Anabel Galander.

One hundredth of a second separated the next three pairs - Canada's Christine De Bruin and Kristen Bujnowski; Mariama Jamanka and Kira Lipperheide; and Americans Kaillie Humphries and Sylvia Hoffman - who will all be vying the podium.

Competition is to take place from tomorrow until Sunday (November 28).