A Ski mountaineering race consists of three elements: a race course with ascents on skis with skins for traction, on-foot sections where skiers place their skis on their backs and ascend on their ski boots, and descent sections where skiers remove the skins from their skis and complete a downhill section of skiing similar to an Alpine skiing race.

There are four disciplines of ski mountaineering at the ISMF World Cup level: individual, team, mixed relay and vertical. Only two disciplines (sprint and mixed relay) are competitions at the sport's inaugural Olympics at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.

Sprint race

There will be a men's and women's ski mountaineering sprint race at the Milan Cortina Games, each consisting of three parts: a heat round, a semifinal round and a final round. 18 athletes each qualify for the men's and women's sprint race, which is broken up into three heats of six athletes. The top-three athletes from each heat, plus the three fastest athletes not already qualified from the combined heat rankings, advance to the semifinal round, which consists of two races of six athletes each. The top-two athletes from each semifinal and the fastest two athletes from the combined semifinals who have not yet qualified make up the six athletes in the final race. 

There are four phases in a standard sprint race:

• Ascent (A) – skiing uphill with skins on skis
• Foot part (B) – athletes remove their skis and complete a bootpack section on foot, then another short ascent on skins
• Transition (C) athletes remove the skins off their skis and prepare for the downhill section
• Descent (D) – skiing downhill with turns and gates (almost a rugged giant slalom)

Athletes complete the course one time through. The fastest athlete to complete the course wins.

Mixed Relay

The mixed relay event has one race at the Milan Cortina Games. Each team consists of one woman and one man, with athletes completing four laps of the course, two laps by the woman and two laps by the man. All teams use the same order: woman-man-woman-man. The course for the mixed relay is longer than in the sprint, containing two ascent and descent sections. The bootpack section is featured in the second ascent.

The mixed relay race contains a section exclusive to the discipline called the handover area, where athletes must alternate with their partner between laps to continue their team's race time. Handovers only can take place within the specific area and done by touching with the hand of the predecessor any part of the body (except the ski poles), including the backpack of the successor. The skis of both athletes must be within the handover area for a legal switch. The athlete finishing the lap is forbidden from crossing the exit line of the handover area and must leave the area within 10 seconds via an exit area. For safety reasons, there is a small ascent before the handover area.

There are two event formats in Olympic ski mountaineering, which make up three disciplines at the Milan Cortina Games: the sprint race (men's and women's disciplines) and the mixed relay race.

To complete a ski mountaineering race legally, athletes must pass through all the transition areas on a race course, signifying a change to an ascent, on-foot or descent area. Each transition is marked with an entry and exit line (preferably in blue paint) and signifies where an athlete legally can make equipment changes during a race. A penalty is applied if a ski or any part of an athlete touches the snow at any location outside the transition zone. Transitions include:

• Taking on/off skins or crampons
• Packing/unpacking skins or crampons
• Unfastening/fastening skis to the backpack

During a transition:

• A racer must stay in the same place from the beginning to the end of the transition
• Ski poles must be placed on the snow or ground next to an athlete to begin a legal transition, and must not be picked up until the end. If an athlete needs to move their ski poles, they must stop the equipment manipulation and move the poles before picking up other equipment with their hands.
• If another athlete interferes with his/her pole(s), or if one/both pole(s) is/are broken, the athlete can continue without one/both pole(s)

When transitioning in or out of an ascent period, athletes only may have skins outside of a race suit or backpack only during transitions; otherwise, they must be stored properly throughout a race and cannot protrude through a race suit or jacket.

For equipment, outside assistance only is allowed when:

• Changing a broken pole, which can be done anywhere on the race course; or changing a broken ski or binding, which can only be changed within the technical zone authorized by a race jury
• Refreshments in authorized areas
• Assisting athletes in distress or any kind of danger

Here are some common penalties and infractions in ski mountaineering:

Equipment violations: There are many ways to get a penalty for an equipment violation, including improper storage of racing skins during a race. Any part of an athlete's ski skins protruding through their race suit or backpack is a 10-second penalty in the sprint and relay races. Other types of equipment violations include:

• Missing equipment or equipment in violation of the rules (one-minute penalty)
• Skis, bindings or boots not in compliance with the rules (disqualification)
• Missing Avalanche Victim Detector (DVA), DVA without batteries, helmet incorrectly worn or ski brakes (disqualification)
• DVA out of order at the finish line (one-minute penalty)
• Crampon(s) missing in the foot part with crampons (disqualification)
• Incorrectly fastening skis on the backpack (10-second penalty)
• Walking without crampons on required sections (disqualification; one-minute penalty if crampons are broken)
• Ski poles not flat on the ground in the transition area (10-second penalty)
• Crampons without straps clipped on the ankles (one-minute penalty)
• Crampons outside the backpack (one-minute penalty)

Behavior Offenses: There are many different penalties classified as behavioral offenses, including:

• False start (one-minute penalty)
• Missing checkpoint (disqualification)
• Missing a gate on a descent section (one-minute penalty)
• Disregarding an official's instructions on the track (one-minute penalty)
• Pushing, shoving or making an athlete fall (disqualification unless involuntary; in that case, only a 15-second penalty)
• Not assisting a person in distress or danger (one-minute penalty)
• Receiving illegal outside help (one-minute penalty)
• Disrespecting the environment (one-minute penalty)
• Disrespecting or insulting anyone participating in the event (disqualification and further disciplinary review by ISMF)
• Incorrect maneuver into the transition area (10-second penalty)

There are three additional possible penalties during relay races:

• Incorrect relay handover (defined in the rules) is a one-minute penalty
• The same athlete racing two legs is a disqualification
• Pushing outside the handover zone is a one-minute penalty

All transition areas in ski mountaineering are marked with special flags to mark where each mode of travel begins on a race course. Additionally, transition areas are marked with an entrance and exit point, the only part of a race course where race transitions are legal. Transitions made outside the race course are causes for automatic disqualification from a race. The area for transitions is large enough to avoid any substantial collisions or interference to ensure safety on a race course. 

Ski mountaineering has a set bib assignment order related to rankings on the Olympic Sprint Ranking List (OSRL) and the Olympic Mixed Relay Ranking List (OSRRL), which factors an NOC's results in the ISMF World Cup within the qualification period and the 2025 Ski Mountaineering World Championships. The best athlete or NOC in each ranking list has the No. 1 bib, the second best wears No. 2, etc.

For the mixed doubles start, six teams are set starting next to each other on the front line with a second starting line 2.5 meters (approximately 8 feet) behind.

For sprint races, starting lanes are each 1m to 2m (approximately 3 feet to 6.5 feet).

In ski mountaineering, protestable matters can pertain to penalties, unofficial race results, conduct of a player and coach, or a technical error in the official competition results. All protests are filed to the ISMF race jury, who either accept or reject the protest.

Appeals can be made to review the official protest, which is sent to a Jury of Appeal, established to provide fair and impartial authority for resolving appeal decisions about protests. The jury is made up of an odd number of members appointed by the ISMF council at the beginning of every World Cup season; only one member per nation is allowed to participate. Members are not allowed to participate in a case concerning a conflict of interest.