Winter Multisport Returns to the Mountains in Italy
Padola hosts the world's best winter multisport athletes across three days of championship racing.
World Triathlon
Winter multisport has returned to altitude for the 2026 World Winter Duathlon and Triathlon Championships in Padola, Italy. From February 27th through to March 1st, Elite, U23, Junior, Para and Age Group athletes are racing in the Dolomites, representing their countries on the winter World Triathlon stage.
What defines a “winter triathlon”? In Padola this weekend, it is a snow run, followed by a mountain bike, finishing on cross-country skis – in that order. The format is technical and unforgiving. Equipment choices and transitions matter. And small errors compound quickly in soft snow and at altitude.
The winter triathlon kicks off at 8:30am local time on Saturday.
Duathlon Delivers Photo-Finish Drama
While the triathlon begins Saturday, the duathlon has already delivered its defining moment.
In the elite men’s race, Norway’s Jens Kristoffer Dyrdahl claimed gold by the tip of his ski in a sprint against Dmitrii Kondrashov of the AIN delegation. After 12km of racing – snow run laps followed by cross-country ski laps – both athletes were credited with identical times of 35:35. The margin was invisible to the naked eye. Italy’s Franco Pesavento rounded out the podium, adding another world championship medal on home snow.
In the elite women’s race, Daria Rogozina of the AIN delegation once again asserted her authority on the winter stage. The defending winter world champion secured the title in 41:56. Alina Liagaeva, also racing under the AIN banner, earned silver, while Italy’s Axelle Vicari claimed bronze to the delight of the home crowd.
