Winter Olympics reveal stark gap in sports science knowledge
A comprehensive review of Olympic snow sports performance shows scientists have robust data on cross-country skiing and alpine skiing, but almost no evidence base for freestyle skiing, snowboarding, and ski jumping. As Milan-Cortina 2026 approaches, sports programs risk optimizing training for some disciplines while others remain scientifically unexplored.
Originaltitel: Olympic Snow Sports: Current Insights and Future Directions for Milano Cortina 2026 and Beyond
Vinteridrottsmedicinsk forskning kräver stratifierad kunskap — endurance-dominerade discipliner (längdskidåkning, biathlon) och teknik-/gravitationssporter (alpin, freestyle, skidhopp) kräver helt olika träningsprotokoll och prestationsövervakning. Italiensk och norsk forskargrupp kartlägger kunskapsläget inför Milano Cortina 2026 och identifierar kritiska gap: könsspecifika fysiologiska profiler saknas nästan helt inom gravitationssporter, träningsstrukturering dokumenteras utan standarder, och övervakningsteknik på snö är underutvecklad. Nordic combined utgör hybrid mellan kategorierna. Elitidrottare använder tailored kombination av uthållighet, styrka-power, teknik och taktik — men individualiseringen haltar. För regionvård, inköpsägare och medicintekniska aktörer blir detta påtryckningsyta: standardiserad dokumentation, sex-informerad träningsplanering och on-snow monitoring-verktyg öppnar marknad för medicinska IT-lösningar och beslutstödssystem innan säsongen 2025–2026.
<p>As the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games approach, a comprehensive understanding of performance determinants across Olympic snow sports is increasingly important to further evolve training and performance. However, the scientific literature remains unevenly distributed, with well-established knowledge in cross-country skiing, biathlon, and alpine skiing, and limited data in disciplines such as ski mountaineering, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping, and Nordic combined. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence to (1) identify key performance-determining factors, (2) describe discipline-specific training characteristics, and (3) highlight critical knowledge gaps. Regarding performance determinants, Olympic snow sports can be broadly categorized into endurance-dominant disciplines (e.g., cross-country skiing, biathlon, ski mountaineering), which rely on high aerobic capacity and movement efficiency, and the gravity and technical disciplines (e.g., alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboarding, ski jumping), which emphasize neuromuscular power and technical precision. Nordic combined represents a hybrid of these categories. In terms of training characteristics, elite athletes' training models reflect sport-specific demands through tailored combinations of endurance, strength–power, technical, tactical, and psychological preparation. Finally, regarding knowledge gaps, sex-specific analyses of physiological profiles, biomechanics, and training responses remain scarce, particularly in gravity and technical sports. Furthermore, standardized documentation of training structure, integration of on-snow monitoring technologies, and research on energy availability remain underdeveloped. Addressing these gaps through holistic, multidisciplinary research is essential to develop individualized, sex-informed, and evidence-based frameworks that support athlete development and performance optimization in the lead-up to Milano Cortina 2026 and future Olympic cycles.</p>