Nordic combined is the only Olympic sport at Milan-Cortina that does not have a women's event. BBC Sport takes a look at why.

Twice Olympic champion Vinzenz Geiger said he had a very positive conversation with International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Kirsty Coventry in view of the future of Nordic combined at the Winter Olympics.

Nordic combined crowned its first medalists on Wednesday as the fight over the sport's Olympic future rages on.

TESERO, Italy (AP) — Jens Luraas Oftebro of Norway overcame a 28-second time disadvantage to chase down a pack of skiers, narrowly avoided a costly crash and then slugged it out uphill in deep, slushy snow to hold off his chief rival to win the gold medal in the Nordic combined normal hill competition.

It’s Day 5 of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics with eight gold medals on the line today. The first went to Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen, who added Alpine skiing’s super-G to his downhill and team combined titles.

Nordic combined is an aptly named winter sport in which competitors race in two different Nordic skiing disciplines: cross-country skiing and ski jumping.

Jens Luraas Oftebro, of Norway, from right, Johannes Lamparter, of Austria and Eero Hirvonen, of Finland, approach the finish line in the Nordic Combined Individual Gundersen Normal Hill/10km competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. Credit: AP/Evgeniy Maloletka

The head of world skiing's governing body on Wednesday vowed to fight for Nordic combined's place ⁠in future Olympics and emphasised the importance of including women as part of his strategy to ‌expand the sport's reach.

Austrian Johannes Lamparter and brother duos Jens and Einaar Luraas Oftebro of Norway and Thomas and Stefan Rettenegger of Austria headline Nordic combined podium contenders at Milan Cortina 2026.

Nordic combined has been part of every Winter Games program since 1924, but it’s facing existential questions stemming from participation numbers and gender equity.