The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are officially underway, and if you’re looking for a sport that delivers equal parts endurance, precision and late-race chaos, biathlon belongs at the top of your watch list.
Competition at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena features 11 medal events across men’s, women’s and mixed competitions. Every race blends high-speed cross-country skiing with rifle shooting under pressure—miss a target, and the clock (or penalty loop) makes you pay.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or tuning in for the first time, here’s how to watch every biathlon event from Italy, plus a straightforward breakdown of how each format works.
Biathlon competition runs from Sunday, February 8 through Saturday, February 21. Coverage will air across NBC and USA Network, with full streaming access available throughout the Games.
TV Schedule (All times Eastern)
- Mixed 4x6 km relay – 8:00 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 8 (USA)
- Men’s 20 km individual – 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10 (USA)
- Women’s 15 km individual – 9:15 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11 (USA)
- Men’s 10 km sprint – 8:00 a.m., Friday, Feb. 13 (USA)
- Women’s 7.5 km sprint – 8:45 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 14 (NBC)
- Women’s 10 km pursuit – 8:45 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 15 (NBC)
- Men’s 12.5 km pursuit – 9:30 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 15 (USA)
- Men’s 12.5 km pursuit – 11:45 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 15 (NBC)
- Men’s 4x7.5 km relay – 9:05 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17 (USA)
- Women’s 4x6 km relay – 12:00 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18 (NBC)
- Men’s 15 km mass start – 8:15 a.m., Friday, Feb. 20 (USA)
- Men’s 15 km mass start – 12:15 p.m., Friday, Feb. 20 (NBC)
- Women’s 12.5 km mass start – 8:15 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 21 (USA)
Streaming Schedule
All biathlon events will stream live on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com, with full replays available.
Mixed Event
- Mixed 4x6 km relay – 8:05–9:35 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 8
Men’s Events
- 20 km individual – 7:30–9:25 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10
- 10 km sprint – 8:00–9:35 a.m., Friday, Feb. 13
- 12.5 km pursuit – 5:15–6:00 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 15
- 4x7.5 km relay – 8:30–10:05 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 17
- 15 km mass start – 8:15–9:15 a.m., Friday, Feb. 20
Women’s Events
- 15 km individual – 8:15–10:05 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11
- 7.5 km sprint – 8:45–10:15 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 14
- 10 km pursuit – 8:45–9:50 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 15
- 4x6 km relay – 8:45–10:15 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18
- 12.5 km mass start – 8:15–9:10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 21
How Biathlon Scoring Works
While every biathlon race blends skiing and shooting, the way winners are decided depends on the format.
- Individual races: Fastest total time, including added penalty minutes
- Sprint races: Fastest total time
- Pursuit races: First athlete across the finish line
- Relay races: First team across the finish line
- Mass start races: First athlete across the finish line
- Mixed relay: First team across the finish line
The twist? Missed shots either add time directly to an athlete’s result or force them into costly penalty loops.
Olympic Biathlon Formats Explained
Individual Events (Men’s 20 km, Women’s 15 km)
The sport’s original test. Athletes start at 30-second intervals and ski five laps, stopping four times to shoot. Every missed target adds a full minute to the clock, making clean shooting just as valuable as speed.
Winner: Fastest overall time, penalties included.
Sprint Events (Men’s 10 km, Women’s 7.5 km)
Shorter, faster and more aggressive. Skiers race three laps with two shooting stages. Missed shots send athletes into a 150-meter penalty loop—often the difference between medals and mid-pack finishes.
Winner: Fastest overall time.
Pursuit Events (Men’s 12.5 km, Women’s 10 km)
Built directly off sprint results. Athletes start in staggered order based on sprint times, creating real-time chases across the course. First to the line wins, no math required.
Winner: First across the finish line.
Relay Events (Men’s 4x7.5 km, Women’s 4x6 km)
Four athletes per team, simultaneous start. Each skier completes three laps and two shooting stages, with spare rounds available. Missed targets after those extras still mean penalty loops—and momentum can swing fast.
Winner: First team across the line.
Mass Start Events (Men’s 15 km, Women’s 12.5 km)
The most dramatic race of the Games. Only 30 athletes qualify, all starting together. Position battles, traffic at the range and late collapses are all part of the show.
Winner: First across the finish line.
Mixed 4x6 km Relay
Two men and two women per team, alternating legs. Like traditional relays, spare rounds are allowed, but unclosed targets still trigger penalty loops. Often chaotic, but always entertaining.
Winner: First team across the finish line.
