2026 Olympics: everything you need to know about the biathlon sprint format
Along with the historic individual and relay formats, the sprint is one of the oldest biathlon formats. It first appeared at the Olympic Games in 1980 (in 1992 for the women, when they took part for the first time), after being introduced at the World Championships in 1974 and at the first World Cup in 1978.
The reference format for the selections, it is also the only one that has a direct impact on another race, the pursuit. At the 2026 Olympics in Milan/Cortina, it will be contested on Friday 13 February (2 p.m.) for the men and the following day at 2.45 p.m. for the women, on the slopes of Antholz (Italy).
The sprint is a time trial, with a starting interval of 30 seconds. The order of the race numbers of the 92 competitors is drawn the day before, according to starting groups established on the basis of the overall world cup rankings. To prolong the suspense, the favourites start in the second third of the race. This system was introduced in 2024-2025, when the world’s best racers chose their starting locker. In those days, the race was often over after bib number 30.
Two passes in front of the targets
On the track, the biathletes must complete three laps of 2.5km (women) or 3.33km (men). At the end of their first loop, they shoot prone at the targets of their choice (on shooting ranges 1 to 15). They have five bullets for as many targets, each 45 mm in diameter and set 50 m apart. Each time they make a mistake, they have to pass through the 150 m penalty ring , losing 20 to 25 seconds per missed shot.
It’s the same story in the second round, this time against the standing targets (on firing points 16 to 30). These are 110 mm in diameter, but are harder to knock down. There is less stability with the skis as the only support on the ground, and very few biathletes have a better success rate against the standing targets than lying down. France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet is one of them(81% prone, 86% standing in 2025-2026).
At the end of the final loop, the biathletes head for the finish line. The top 60 finishers qualify for the pursuit. The final times are used to establish the starting order, with gaps rounded off to the nearest second. Each competitor therefore continues to the finish line, regardless of his or her position. At the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan/Cortina (Italy), 1 hour 20 minutes should separate the start of the first bib from the crossing of the line by the last finisher.
- Anterselva Biathlon Arena: everything you need to know about the Antholz venue, home of the biathlon events at the Milan/Cortina Olympic Games
- The full biathlon programme at the Milan/Cortina Olympic Games
- The podium in the heat of the moment: the Olympic medals are presented at the competition site immediately after the events.
- Rule 40: the IOC ban that poisons the relationship between athletes and their sponsors during the Olympic Games
- France TV andEurosport coverage of the Milan/Cortina 2026 Olympic Games
