Nordic Combined comprises both ski jumping and cross-country skiing disciplines. Nordic combined was first held at the Winter Olympics in 1924, and has been on the program ever since. At the Winter Olympics the Nordic Combined event remains the only event solely for men, even though in 2014 a women's event was added to the ski jump program. Despite a strong push by FIS, a women’s Nordic combined will not be joining the men’s event at Milan Cortina 2026.

Ski JumpingSki Jumping
"Nordic combined is arguably the most demanding multi-discipline event in winter sports, requiring athletes to master both the explosive power of ski jumping and the endurance of cross-country skiing. It represents the ultimate test of winter sport versatility."
— As Robert Wood, founder of Topend Sports, notes

Events for Milan & Cortina d'Ampezzo 2026

  • Individual (large hill /10 km men)
  • Individual (normal hill /10 km men)
  • Team (large hill/4 x 5 km)

Two Sports in One

Nordic combined athletes must train for both ski jumping (explosive power) and cross-country skiing (endurance), making it one of the most physically demanding winter sports at the Olympic Games.

How Nordic Combined Works

Ski jumping is held first, followed by the cross-country skiing race (though earlier Olympic events had this order reversed). The cross country race is currently held as a pursuit race, meaning that the competitors start at different intervals based on their ski jumping scores. The athlete who earned the most points in ski jumping starts the race first, while those with lower scores follow at time gaps corresponding to their point deficit. This format means the winner of the combined event is simply the first to cross the finish line, making for an exciting finish.

The pursuit format was introduced in 1988 and transformed how audiences experience Nordic combined. Before this change, the event required a mathematical calculation after both portions were complete to determine the winner. The current system creates a dramatic, easy-to-follow race where the overall leader is always visible on the course.

Nordic Combined Event Winners for Milan & Cortina d'Ampezzo 2026

Here are the athletes who won gold, silver, and bronze in the Nordic Combined events at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics:

Nordic Combined Individual Gundersen Normal Hill/10km

Gold Silver Bronze
OFTEBRO Jens Luraas (Norway) LAMPARTER Johannes (Austria) HIRVONEN Eero (Finland)

Nordic Combined Individual Gundersen Large Hill/10km

Gold Silver Bronze
OFTEBRO Jens Luraas (Norway) LAMPARTER Johannes (Austria) HEROLA Ilkka (Finland)

Nordic Combined Team Sprint

Gold Silver Bronze
Norway Finland Austria
"The pursuit race format introduced in 1988 transformed Nordic combined from a mathematical exercise into must-watch television. Having the first across the line win the gold makes the cross-country leg genuinely thrilling for spectators."
— According to sports science expert Robert Wood

Olympic History

Nordic combined is one of the original Winter Olympic sports, featured at every Games since 1924. The team event was added 64 years later in 1988, and the format has continued to evolve ever since.

History

  • Nordic combined was first held at the Winter Olympics in 1924
  • Initially, the cross-country skiing portion was 18km, which was reduced to 15 km at the 1956 Winter Olympics.
  • In 1988 the scoring system changed, so the 15 km cross country section would go from an interval start race to a pursuit race, so that whoever crossed the finish line first won the event.
  • The team event was added for the 1988 Winter Olympics, which involved a 3 x 10 km cross country relay. This was changed to a 4 x 5 km cross-country relay for the 1998 Winter Olympics onwards.
  • A 7.5 km sprint event was added at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
  • In 2010 the 15 km combined was replaced by a 10 km individual normal hill event while the 7.5 km sprint was replaced by the 10 km individual large hill event.

Robert J. Wood's research at Topend Sports found that the evolution from an 18km cross-country race to the current 10km format reflects how Nordic combined has adapted to modern sporting demands while keeping its unique two-discipline identity.

The Gender Gap in Nordic Combined

Nordic combined holds a unique and somewhat controversial distinction as the only remaining Winter Olympic event that is exclusively for men. While other traditionally male-only sports have added women's competitions over the years, Nordic combined has been slow to follow. The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) made a strong push for the inclusion of a women's Nordic combined event at the Milan Cortina 2026 Games, but the International Olympic Committee did not approve the addition.

The path toward gender equality in Nordic combined mirrors the earlier struggle in ski jumping, where women's events were not included until 2014 after years of advocacy and even legal challenges. Supporters of women's Nordic combined point to the growing participation at the World Championship level and argue that the sport is ready for Olympic inclusion. The expectation is that a women's event could be added as early as the 2030 Winter Games.

Related Sport

Nordic combined uses the same ski jumping hills and cross-country courses as the individual ski jumping and cross-country skiing events at the Winter Olympics.

Learn More about Ski Jumping →