They wear Norwegian Viking helmets, French chicken suits and fuzzy black, red and yellow German cow hats, paint their faces in national colors, drape flags around their shoulders and don patriotic costumes as they sing YMCA or chant their hero’s name.

Biathlon, which combines rifle shooting and cross-country skiing, developed out of Scandinavian military training exercises. Three members of the U.S. biathlon team are with the Vermont National Guard: Staff Sgt.

Former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool football coach Jürgen Klopp enjoyed his visit to the Olympic biathlon on Tuesday and even rang the bell for the final lap. He watched the men's 4 x 7.

Here's what to know on when biathlon begins at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, including a look at its full schedule for the Winter Games.

Biathlon combines two sports – cross-country skiing and shooting – into one race. The biathlon first made its debut 66 years ago in the 1960 Winter Olympics at the renamed Palisades Tahoe in Olympic Valley near Lake Tahoe. This year, the Winter Olympic biathlon games will be held in Antholz (Anterselva), Italy.

Legendary manager Jurgen Klopp got to try his hand at a different sort of competition this week.

"It's about giving back and justice," said France's Martin Fourcade, now the gold medalist in the mass start from the 2010 Games.

Meet some of the faces behind a world-class training facility in Brillion, Wisconsin, that is helping athletes prepare for Olympic-level competition in cross-country skiing and biathlon.