Nordic Combined: Complete Guide to the Olympic Discipline

What is Nordic Combined?

La Nordic combined is a winter discipline that combines ski jumping e cross-country skiing. It is a unique test that requires explosiveness, technique, endurance and strategy, as athletes must excel in two very different sports.

It is the only winter Olympic sport currently reserved for men (but the women's version is already in the World Cup and may debut at future Olympics).

History of the Nordic Combined

• The discipline originated in Norway in the 19th century as a comprehensive test for skiers.
• Olympic debut: Chamonix 1924, only men present.
• Italy entered the circuit at the highest level in the 1990s and 2000s.

How does the Nordic Combined work?

A Nordic combined competition consists of two stages:

1. Ski jumping (trampoline)

• Athletes jump off a trampoline HS100 (normal hill) o HS140 (large hill).
• The score combines jump length and style.

2. Cross-country skiing (Gundersen)

• Pursuit race (10 km): whoever jumped best starts first.
• The others start with a delay proportional to the jump score.
• Whoever crosses the finish line first wins.

Types of Races

1. Individual Gundersen (normal or large trampoline + 10 km)
2. Team Sprint (Team Sprint): two athletes per nation, 2 jumps + 2×7.5 km each
3. Team race (4 athletes): 4 jumps + 4×5 km

Italy in the Nordic Combined

Italy had excellent representatives, although the discipline is dominated by Northerners and Germans:

• Alessandro Pittin: Olympic bronze in Vancouver 2010 (first Italian medal in Nordic combined).
• Samuel Costa, Aaron Kostner e Raphael Buzzi: active athletes in the World Cup.
• The Italian technical center is in Predazzo (Val di Fiemme), a regular venue for World Cup stages.

Leading Nations

• Norway 🇳🇴: historic homeland, with athletes such as Jarl Magnus Riiber and Magnus Moan.
• Germany 🇩🇪: Olympic and world domination with athletes such as Eric Frenzel and Johannes Rydzek.
• Japan 🇯🇵: strong and consistent team, team gold in 1994.
• Austria and Finland: always among the best.

Skills Required

• Explosiveness and technique in ski jumping
• Resistance and strategy in cross-country skiing
• Mental capacity To switch from one discipline to another in a few hours

Where is it practiced?

• In Italy: Predazzo (Val di Fiemme), home of the trampoline "Giuseppe Dal Ben"
• Worldwide: Seefeld (AUT), Lahti (FIN), Oberstdorf (GER), Trondheim (NOR), Sapporo (JPN)

Important Events

• FIS World Cup
• Nordic World Ski Championships
• Winter Olympic Games (next edition: Milan-Cortina 2026)

We answer some questions asked by our readers

Is Nordic combined a women's Olympic sport?
Not at present, but work is underway for female introduction, planned perhaps from 2030.

What happens if an athlete falls in the jump?
He gets very low scores and will start very late in the bottom, but can still make up positions.

What is the difference with skiathlon or biathlon?
They are different sports: skiathlon is just cross-country, biathlon combines cross-country and shooting. Nordic combined is jumping + cross-country.

Why is it considered one of the most comprehensive disciplines?
Because it combines technique, power and endurance in two opposite sports, making it one of the toughest physical and mental challenges.

La Nordic combined represents the essence of Nordic sport: a perfect balance of technique, power and endurance. Although little known compared to other disciplines, it is among the most fascinating in the Olympic landscape. Italy is looking with interest at Milan-Cortina 2026, ready to relaunch this discipline in the media as well.