The Sport · Multisport
Winter Triathlon
Run, mountain bike, cross-country ski — all on snow. Triathlon's coldest challenge.
The 2026 elite World Championship course
8km
Snow run
12km
Mountain bike on snow
12km
Cross-country ski
Padola, Italy — two laps per discipline, five transitions. Age-group and para athletes race a half-distance course. Distances always flex with the snow.
What is winter triathlon?
Winter triathlon involves a run, mountain bike and cross-country ski (langlauf) — all on snow. There is no swim: athletes run, ride and ski over snow-covered terrain, with course distances varying to match the latest snow conditions at each venue.
A Winter Duathlon — running and cross-country skiing — is also contested at the Winter Championships.
Run. Bike. Ski.
Winter triathlon is a run, mountain bike and cross-country ski - all raced on snow, with course distances set by the latest conditions and elite racing lasting 80-90 minutes. New to skinny skis? Basic langlauf balance is the way in, wherever there are Nordic pistes.
Racing on snow
Snow changes everything: grip, pacing, equipment, even the course itself. Riders run studded tyres, skiers chase the fastest wax, and every venue's conditions rewrite the race on the day.
It is multisport's answer to winter — and its athletes are campaigning for run–bike–ski to join the Winter Olympic programme.
From Spain 1987 to Padola 2026
The first winter triathlons appeared in Spain in 1987 — triathletes chasing a winter challenge, running in the village, riding up to the resort and skiing on the snow. World Championships have been held annually since 1997.
Legends of the discipline include Russia's Pavel Andreev, its most decorated champion, and four-time women's world champion Daria Rogozina; in 2021 Norway's Hans Christian Tungensvik outskied the field for gold. The 2026 Winter Championships take place in Padola, Italy.
Where to watch
Stream World Triathlon championship racing live and on demand with TriathlonLIVE, and catch international television coverage produced with Infront across the world's biggest sports broadcasters.
Frequently asked questions
A three-discipline race held entirely on snow: running, mountain biking and cross-country skiing. There is no swim.
Distances vary with snow conditions; the 2026 elite world championship course in Padola is an 8 km run, 12 km mountain bike and 12 km ski.
The championships have been held annually since 1997; the sport's European origins date to Spain in 1987.
Russia's Pavel Andreev, a multiple world champion, is the most decorated athlete in the discipline; Daria Rogozina has won four women's world titles.
No — but there is an ongoing push for the run–bike–ski format to join the Winter Olympic programme.
Yes — a run/cross-country ski format contested at the Winter Championships for Elite, U23 and Junior athletes.
Brave the snow
Find a winter triathlon start line — or watch the world's hardiest athletes race the cold.