Sportspit

Ski pursuit rules. How the world of cross-country skiing works. Guide to disciplines, competitions and tactics. The origins of ski jumping

International skiing tournaments, like other skiing sports, are organized by the International Ski Federation (FIS). It was founded in the French town of Chamonix in 1924. Initially, the International Federation included 14 national federations. Over almost a century of work of this organization, the number of member countries has increased to 111. Now the headquarters of the FIS is located in Switzerland in the small town of Oberhofen am Thunerzei.

Cross-country skiing competitions, especially in Scandinavia, took place long before the advent of the International Federation or any other governing bodies. The Scandinavian countries played their own Nordic Games, which were considered very prestigious. This was later proven by the victories of the Scandinavians at the first Olympics.

FIS organizes the World Championships and Cups, as well as the Continental Cup in cross-country skiing. In addition, holding all kinds of youth and youth championships, as well as commercial starts.

Olympic Games

Ski racing was included in the program of the very first Winter Olympic Games in 1924, which were hosted by the French city of Chamonix. Initially, only representatives of the stronger sex competed. Women's racing was included in the program of the White Olympics only 30 years later - in 1952. Initially, medals were awarded in only two disciplines, but now at the Olympics athletes compete for 12 sets of medals (six each in the women's and men's competitions).

Among the leaders of the ski program at the Olympics are Norwegians, Finns, Swedes, Italians, representatives of the USSR and Russians, whose medals are considered separately by the International Olympic Committee. Europeans have virtually no alternative in Olympic skiing; athletes from North America have only been able to win four medals throughout history.

Cross-country skiing was included in the program of the First Youth Winter Olympic Games, which took place in 2012 in Innsbruck, Austria. In the medal standings, representatives of Russia took first place.

World Ski Championships

The World Championships are the main event in the world of cross-country skiing, regardless of discipline. The World Championships are held separately in three disciplines: cross-country skiing, ski jumping and Nordic combined, which combines the two previous events. The World Championship began to be held in 1925 (among men) and in 1954 (among women). Before the outbreak of World War II, the World Championships were held annually, but at the FIS Congress in 1946 it was decided to resume the World Championships, but to do so in even years. A problem arose because every second world championship coincided with the Winter Olympics. After much debate and negotiations, forty years later, it was decided to hold the World Championships in odd-numbered years. This system is still in effect today.

Initially, the World Championships were dominated by representatives from Norway and other Scandinavian countries. They have won the lion's share of medals at tournaments of all levels, often occupying the entire podium. However, as this species gained international popularity (mainly in Europe). Now worthy competition for the Norwegians are representatives of other Scandinavian countries, as well as the “Alpines”: the Germans, Austrians, and Swiss. The Russian national team also interfered in the distribution of awards, but recently there has been a loss of winning traditions, since the generation brought up by the Soviet ski school has completed active competitions. In terms of the number of medals at the World Championships, the USSR ranks fourth in history; the Russian national team, which has been competing separately since 1993, is ranked below.

Cuppeace

The World Cup is an annual competition consisting of several stages taking place in different countries. In addition to Europe, the World Cup stages are hosted by North American countries. Sometimes Asians, for example, Kazakhstan, where much attention is paid to the development of skiing.

World Cup stages take place throughout the season from October to March. At each stage, athletes gain scoring points, which are summed up at the end of the cup. The winners of the best amount are recognized as winners. Men and women take part in the World Cup. Individual and team championships are played.

In addition, the team and individual results of all athletes representing one country are added up. Based on the results, the Nations Cup table is formed.

The number of World Cup events depends on whether the World Ski Championships are held that year. If carried out, the number of stages is reduced by 4-5. In the World Cup there is a clear classification of stages by duration. The longest is the Tour de Ski. It takes place immediately after the New Year in Germany, the Czech Republic and Italy and lasts ten days (including eight races). The Tour de Ski was developed in the image and likeness of the cycling Tour de France and has been held since 2006. The Tour de Ski is several World Cup stages combined into one big tour. The Tour de Ski offers its participants prize money that is quite large for ski racing (about one million euros), so victory here is considered very prestigious and profitable. Swiss skiers have achieved the greatest success in the short history of the Tour.

In second place is the World Cup final, where the best athletes at the end of all stages get to. The final takes place in March every year and lasts five days. The remaining stages last for three days.

The team is delegated to the World Cup stage only by the national federation. Each country has a certain quota: two athletes in the men's and women's competitions. The additional number of athletes is determined by results in the World Cup, but cannot exceed nine skiers from one country. This rule does not apply to the hosts of the stages, as well as to the winners of the Continental Cup, a lower-rated competition in which young athletes try their hand.

The idea of a World Cup was implemented in the 1973/74 season for men, and five years later for women. Points for the Nations Cup began to be counted from the 1981/82 season. In the entire history of the Nations Cup, only three countries have been able to dislodge Norway from first place. The Swedes succeeded for the first time, then the Soviet Union was at the top for three years, and already in the first half of the 90s, the Russian national team excelled for two seasons in a row. From this we can conclude that the Soviet ski racing school was one of the leading on the planet. In addition, which is very rare, the victorious traditions were not lost after the collapse of the USSR. In the last two seasons, the Russian national team took second and third place in the Nations Cup standings.

Continental Cup

The Continental Cup is a second-tier competition. It is attended by understudies of leading athletes, as well as representatives of countries that do not have a sufficient quota for all willing athletes to compete.

The Continental Cup, like the World Cup, consists of stages. The Continental Cup is played on all continents except South America. There are nine of them in total. For example, since 1996, the highlands of Australia and New Zealand have hosted their own continental cup. The Balkan countries began to play their competitions in the 70s of the last century, the Eastern European states (Belarus, Russia, Ukraine and with them - Kazakhstan) also compete separately. The Far Eastern countries, Canada, the USA and Scandinavia have their own continental cups. The OPA Continental Cup brings together athletes from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, Lithuania and Slovenia, and the Slavic Continental Cup brings together athletes from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. As can be seen from the lists, there are several separate continental cups in Europe alone, but there is no continental organization capable of combining these competitions into one European championship. Therefore, the holding of all continental cups is monitored by the relevant units of the International Ski Federation.

Based on the results of the stages of the continental cup, its owners are determined. The Continental Cup also determines its Nations Cup winner. The winners get the opportunity to take part in the World Cup stages, which is the main incentive of these competitions.

Canadian Ski Marathon

Despite the name, this is not an internal championship of the Maple Leaf country, but an open marathon in which representatives of any country can take part. The first Canadian Marathon was held in 1967, Canada's centenary year. Since then, it has consistently passed between the cities of Ottawa and Montreal. This is the longest ski marathon on the planet - 160 kilometers, but this does not mean that each participant is obliged to cover the entire distance. The marathon is divided into ten equal stages. Amateurs can overcome any of them or several. But there is a category of participants who conquer the entire distance in a few days. They, in turn, are also ranked depending on complexity. Bronze is awarded to an athlete who travels 160 kilometers without a backpack, stopping to spend the night in special campsites. Silver - with a backpack, but also spend the night in campsites, gold - with a backpack and overnight in a tent.

Sources

www.championat.com

www.eurosport.ru

ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ski_racing

skisport.by/crosscountry/

winter.sport-express.ru/

http://www.fis-ski.com/

http://www.fiscrosscountry.com/

Cross-country skiing is one of six sports (also figure skating, ski jumping, hockey, Nordic combined and speed skating) that have been included in the program of all Winter Olympic Games. Women's competitions have been held at the Games since 1952.

The main styles of skiing are classic and free. The classic style includes those types of movement in which the athlete passes almost the entire distance along a pre-prepared ski track, consisting of two parallel lines. Freestyle is essentially synonymous with skating.

In Vancouver, 12 sets of medals will be competed - six each for men and women - in the following disciplines: individual sprint, team sprint, individual race, duathlon (pursuit), mass start and relay race.

At the 2006 Games in Turin, the women's winners were Estonian Kristina Smigun (duathlon, individual race), Canadian Chandra Crawford (individual sprint), Slovakian Katerina Neumanova (mass start), the Swedish team (team sprint) and the Russian team (relay). Among the men, the victory was celebrated by Russian Evgeny Dementyev (duathlon), Estonian Anders Veerpalu (individual race), Swede Bjorn Lind (individual sprint), Italian Giorgio Di Centa (mass start), the Swedish team (team sprint) and the Italian team (relay).

In addition to two gold medals, the Russian team won two silvers in Turin (Yulia Chepalova in the mass start, Evgeny Dementyev in the mass start) and three bronzes (Evgenia Medvedeva in the duathlon, Alena Sidko in the individual sprint, Ivan Alypov and Vasily Rochev in the team sprint) .

At the 2010 Games in Vancouver, Russia received the maximum possible representation - 20 participants (maximum 12 of the same gender).

Women's sprint. Ekaterina Chuikova, Elena Turysheva, Evgenia Shapovalova.
Women, distance. Irina Khazova, Natalya Korosteleva, Evgenia Medvedeva, Olga Zavyalova, Olga Rocheva, Olga Shchuchkina.
Men's sprint. Nikita Kryukov, Nikolay Morilov, Alexey Petukhov, Alexander Panzhinsky, Mikhail Devyatyarov.
Men, distance. Alexander Legkov, Maxim Vylegzhanin, Petr Sedov, Nikolai Pankratov, Sergei Novikov, Sergei Shiryaev.

Individual race

It takes place over a distance of 10 km for women and 15 km for men. Athletes start one by one with an interval of 30 seconds. The one who shows the best time wins.

Mass start

Athletes start the race at the same time, with skiers with a higher rating taking more advantageous places at the start - on the first line. The distance is 30 km for women and 50 km for men. The first one to cross the finish line wins. In a mass start, the winner often has to be determined by a photo finish.

Duathlon (pursuit)

Athletes start at the same time (skiers with a higher rating take more advantageous places at the start). They cover the first part of the distance in the classic style, after which they change skis and run freestyle. The distance for women is 15 km (7.5 km classic style, 7.5 km free), for men 30 km (15 km classic style, 15 km free). The first one to cross the finish line wins.

Individual Sprint

First there is a qualifying round, during which athletes, starting at 15-second intervals, run one lap (1.5 km for women and men). The top 30 skiers advance to the quarterfinals. Starting from this stage, skiers set off for the distance from a common start - six people per race. 12 athletes advance to the semifinals - the best two from each quarter-final six, as well as the two skiers from all the remaining skiers who showed the best time. The selection for final A is carried out in a similar way, where the six best skiers get to. They play for medals among themselves. The first one to cross the finish line wins. In addition, Final B is held, in which places from 6th to 12th are played out.

Team sprint

A team consists of two athletes. During the race, they take turns replacing each other after each lap, for a total of six laps (three for each team member). One lap - 1.5 km . When passing the baton, the skier must touch his teammate without interfering with the passing of the baton from competitors. First, two semi-finals are held, following which the top five teams advance to the final. The team whose representative crosses the finish line first wins.

Relay race

The race takes place over a distance of 20 km for women (four laps of 5 km) and 40 km for men (four laps of 10 km). Teams consist of four people, each of whom runs one stage. In this case, the first and second stages must be completed in the classical style, and the third and fourth - free. All teams start at the same time. When passing the baton, the skier must touch his teammate without interfering with the passing of the baton from competitors. The team whose representative crosses the finish line first wins.

We continue our story about winter Olympic sports on the eve of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Today is a story about cross-country skiing. For me, my love for winter sports began with cross-country skiing. Then I switched to biathlon. And once upon a time, back in school, I couldn’t even tell the difference between these sports. I thought that the same athletes compete in both biathlon and pure skiing. Then I wanted to find out more. And then, I remember, I was still confusing Bjoerndalen and Bjorn Deli. :)

And I really love skiing. Do you like cross-country skiing?

Cross-country skiing is a ski race over a certain distance on a specially prepared track among persons of a certain category (age, gender, etc.). They belong to cyclic sports.

The first speed skiing competition took place in Norway in 1767. Then the Swedes and Finns followed the example of the Norwegians, and later the passion for racing arose in Central Europe. At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. National ski clubs have appeared in many countries. In 1924, the International Ski Federation (FIS) was created. In 2000 the FIS had 98 national federations.

The main styles of skiing are “classic style” and “free style”.

Classic style

The original, “classical style” includes those types of movement in which the skier passes almost the entire distance along a pre-prepared ski track, consisting of two parallel lines. “Classical” ski moves are divided according to the method of pushing off with poles into alternating and simultaneous. Based on the number of steps in one cycle, two-step, four-step and stepless moves are distinguished.

The most common are the alternating two-step stroke (used on flat areas and gentle slopes (up to 2°), and with very good sliding - on climbs of medium steepness (up to 5°)) and simultaneous single-step stroke (used on flat areas, on gentle slopes with good glide, as well as on slopes with satisfactory glide).

Free style

“Free style” implies that the skier is free to choose the method of movement along the distance, but since the “classic” stroke is inferior in speed to the “skating” stroke, “free style” is, in fact, synonymous with “skating”. Skating has been widely used since 1981, when Finnish skier Pauli Siitonen, then over 40, first used it in competition (in a 55 km race) and won.

The most common are the simultaneous two-step skating stroke (used both on flat areas and on slopes of small and medium steepness) and the simultaneous one-step skating stroke (used during starting acceleration, on any plains and flat sections of the distance, as well as on slopes up to 10-12° ).

Main types of cross-country skiing:

Competitions with general start (mass start)
Pursuit racing (pursuit, pursuit, Gundersen system)
Relay races
Individual Sprint
Team sprint

Time trial competitions

In a time trial, athletes start at a certain interval in a certain sequence. As a rule, the interval is 30 seconds (less often - 15 seconds, 1 minute). The sequence is determined by a draw or the athlete’s current position in the ranking (the strongest start last). Pair time trials are possible. The final result of the athlete is calculated using the formula “finish time” minus “start time”.

Mass start competition

In a mass start, all athletes start at the same time. At the same time, athletes with the best ratings occupy the most advantageous places at the start. The final result coincides with the athlete’s finishing time.

Pursuit racing

Pursuit races are combined competitions consisting of several stages. In this case, the starting position of athletes at all stages (except the first) is determined based on the results of previous stages. As a rule, in cross-country skiing, the pursuit takes place in two stages, one of which athletes run in the classic style, and the other in the free style.

Pursuit races with a break are held over two days, less often - with an interval of several hours. The first race usually takes place with a time trial. Based on its final results, the gap from the leader for each participant is determined. The second race is held with a handicap equal to this gap. The winner of the first race starts first. The final result of the pursuit race coincides with the finishing time of the second race.

A pursuit race without a break (duathlon) begins with a general start. After covering the first half of the distance with one style, athletes change skis in a specially equipped area and immediately overcome the second half of the distance with a different style. The final result of the pursuit race without a break coincides with the athlete’s finishing time.

Relay races

Teams consisting of four athletes (less often three) compete in relay races. Ski relay races consist of four stages (less often three), of which stages 1 and 2 are run in the classical style, and stages 3 and 4 are run in the free style. The relay begins with a mass start, with the most advantageous places at the start being determined by drawing lots or being given to the teams that took the highest places in previous similar competitions. The relay is transferred by touching the palm of any part of the body of the starting athlete of his team, while both athletes are in the relay transfer zone. The final result of the relay team is calculated using the formula “finishing time of the last team member” minus “starting time of the first team member.”

Individual Sprint

Individual sprint competitions begin with qualifications, which are organized in a time trial format. After qualifying, the selected athletes compete in the sprint finals, which are held in the form of races of different formats with a mass start. The number of athletes selected for the final races does not exceed 30. First, the quarter-finals are held, then the semi-finals and, finally, finals B and A. Athletes who did not qualify for final A take part in final B. The table of final results of the individual sprint is formed in the following order: Final A results, Final B results, quarter-final participants, unqualified participants.

Team sprint

The team sprint is conducted as a relay race with teams consisting of two athletes who take turns replacing each other, running 3-6 laps of the track each. If the number of entered teams is sufficiently large, two semi-finals are held, from which an equal number of the best teams are selected for the final. The team sprint begins with a mass start. The final result of the team sprint is calculated according to the relay rules.

At official competitions, the distance ranges from 800 meters to 50 km. In this case, one distance can consist of several laps. Race formatDistance length (km)
Time trial competitions5, 7.5, 10, 15, 30, 50
Competitions with mass start 10, 15, 30, 50
Pursuit5, 7.5, 10, 15
Relay races (length of one stage) 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10
Individual sprint (men)1 – 1.4
Individual sprint (women)0.8 – 1.2
Team sprint (men)2х(3-6) 1 — 1.4
Team sprint (women)2х(3-6) 0.8 – 1.2

In the program of the Winter Olympic Games since 1924. At first, men competed in the 18 and 50 km races, from 1936 the 4x10 km relay was added, from 1956 - the 30 km race (in the same year the 18 km race was replaced by the 15 km race), from 1992 - 10 km . Women's competitions have been in 10 km races since 1952, 3x5 km relay has been added since 1956 (4x5 km since 1976), 5 km race since 1964, 20 km since 1984, 30 km since 1992. To participate in the Winter Olympic Games, each country can be represented by four participants in each discipline, in the relay race - by one team.

Ski race- a cyclical sport in which athletes need to cover a competitive distance on skis as quickly as possible.

Story

The first speed skiing competition took place in Norway in 1767. Then the Swedes and Finns followed the example of the Norwegians, and later the passion for racing arose in Central Europe. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, national ski clubs appeared in many countries. After 1909, skiing in Russia intensified significantly, competitions began to be held in many cities of the country, and the need to hold international competitions was brewing. Soviet athletes first took part in the VII Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, in 1956.

Benefit

The benefits of this oldest sport have been proven for a long time. Firstly, fresh air has a beneficial effect on the lungs. Secondly, these are rhythmic movements, during which many different muscles are involved. And thirdly, both flat skiing and, in particular, alpine skiing are always associated with beautiful nature. Skiing improves the functioning of the nervous system and the condition of the bone marrow, euphoria, vivacity, and a surge of energy appear.

Another serious plus in favor of skiing is their positive effect on the figure. The body becomes toned, excess fat disappears, instead of which strong and elastic muscles develop. That is why representatives of the fair sex, increasingly abandoning traditional shaping and fitness, choose skiing. The benefits of this sport are much more noticeable, since it is not just training - it is relaxation, pleasure, health, beauty, and even fashion. Therefore, many prefer winter resorts to trips to exotic countries and, despite the great temptation to fly from winter to summer, they still choose snow-covered slopes, which have their own unique charm.

Skiing is beneficial for the whole family. For adults, this is a good way to gain weight, strengthen the nervous system and increase vitality. And for children, skiing will become both entertainment and useful physical education, disciplining and improving health. Both of them, with the help of skis, will be able to strengthen and develop the spine, since this sport uses most of the back muscles.

Rules

When completing the distance, the participant has no right to use any means of transportation other than skis and ski poles.

The participant must only walk along the track and pass checkpoints. He has no right to shorten the distance. If there is a marking on the inside of a turn on the course, the competitor must not enter the arc of the turn indicated by the marking.

The participant has no right to change skis.

A participant who violates the rules while completing a distance is removed from the competition for that distance.

Cross-country skiing is divided by style of movement.

The main styles of skiing are “classic style” and “free style”.

Classic style

Free style

Main types of cross-country skiing

Time trial competitions

Competitions with general start (mass start)

Pursuit racing (pursuit, pursuit, Gundersen system)

Relay races

Individual Sprint

Team sprint

Time trial competitions

Mass start competition

Pursuit racing

Relay races

Teams consisting of four athletes (less often three) compete in relay races. Ski relay races consist of four stages (less often three), of which the 1st and 2nd stages are run in the classical style, and the 3rd and 4th stages are run in the free style. The relay begins with a mass start, with the most advantageous places at the start being determined by drawing lots or being given to the teams that took the highest places in previous similar competitions. The relay is transferred by touching the palm of any part of the body of the starting athlete of his team, while both athletes are in the relay transfer zone. The final result of the relay team is calculated using the formula “finishing time of the last team member” minus “starting time of the first team member.”

Individual Sprint

Individual sprint competitions begin with qualifications, which are organized in a time trial format. After qualifying, the selected athletes compete in the sprint finals, which are held in the form of races of different formats with a mass start. The number of athletes selected for the final heats does not exceed 30. First, the quarter-finals are held, then the semi-finals and, finally, the B and A finals. The B final is attended by athletes who did not qualify for the A final.

The table of final results of the individual sprint is formed in the following order: results of final A, results of final B, quarter-final participants, unqualified participants.

Team sprint

Distance length

At official competitions, the distance ranges from 800 meters to 50 km. In this case, one distance can consist of several laps.

The Team Russia guide will help you understand everything related to cross-country skiing.

The best athletes in cross-country skiing are united in the national team of the country. Belonging to one or another sports club in most cases is not decisive. The main competitions in cross-country skiing: the World Cup, the World Championships (held every two years) and the Olympic Games (every four years).

world Cup

In a format more or less similar to the current one, the World Cup appeared in 1981, uniting the largest competitions on the planet - mainly, of course, in Europe. The World Cup traditionally starts in Lapland at the end of November and ends in mid-March in Falun, Sweden. During this period, more than 30 starts await the athletes.

100 points are awarded for winning the race, 80 for second place, 60 for third, and so on, up to 30th place. The points go towards the overall World Cup standings. At the end of the season, the athlete who has earned the most cup points is awarded the Large Crystal Globe. A Small Sprint Crystal Globe is awarded for winning the sprint competition, and a Small Distance Crystal Globe for winning the distance competition (long races only). We will return to the issue of disciplines later.

The World Cup starts are the main races in the athletes’ calendar. They focus on them when preparing for the World Championships and Olympic Games. You could say this is the athlete's racing and professional base.

Tour de ski

It is included in the World Cup standings, but is included in a separate, very prestigious category. It was first held in 2006 on the model of cycling stage races: 9 days, 7 races, one or two stages are usually sprint, the rest are distance. Takes place in central Europe: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic. There is a general standings, a system of point modifications and intermediate bonus marks.The points go towards the overall World Cup standings, but only 50 points are given for winning the race, but the points are doubled in the final overall standings.

World Championship

The World Ski Championships take place every two years, usually in February, and include the entire program of disciplines: sprint, team sprint, individual race, skiathlon (formerly 30 km mass start), relay race and ski marathon. Results at the World Championships are not transformed into World Cup standings - athletes compete only for medals.

Olympic Games

Games for a ski racer are similar to the world championship - the same six races and the same system. The Games are held every four years, so an Olympic medal is the most valuable award for any athlete. However, winning the overall World Cup is probably even more difficult.

Ski Classic Marathon Series

This elite series includes several classic European ski marathons with history. There is no national division here, but there are divisions of athletes into teams - like in professional cycling. Almost all marathons are held in the classic style, and in recent years they have been run with fashionable and fast double-poling (at the same time stepless). Among the most famous marathons are: Marchalonga, Vasaloppet, Sgambeda.

There are also marathons, united in the Worldloppet series, which are held all over the world - from America to Japan. And the Russian analogue is Russialoppet, but all these three series do not appear on Russian television.

Disciplines in cross-country skiing

Sprint.Consists of qualification and final part. The 30 best athletes from the qualifying race, usually lasting 1.5 kilometers, get to the final part. The final part is divided into quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals. There are six people running in each quarter-final, so there are five races in total. Based on the results of the quarterfinal race, the two fastest from each race and the two best in time among those who took places lower than second - luckylosers - go directly to the semifinals. The same formula applies in the semi-finals, the fastest wins in the final.

Team sprint.It is held mainly twice during the cup season, as well as at the World Championships and Olympic Games. Teams are formed from two representatives of the same national team. As part of the team sprint, participants go through three sprint stages, replacing each other. The discipline has little in common with real sprinting, so stayers and even marathon runners feel good here - you need a lot of speed endurance.

Time trial race (individual race).They are carried out quite often and at different distances. At the World Championships and Olympic Games, the traditional distance for individual races is 10 km for women and 15 km for men, however, within the World Cup and stage races, the distance may vary.

Pursuit.It is held at the Tour de Ski and once again at the end of the cup season at the Swedish mini-stage race. Racers start according to the time shown in the time trial.

Skiathlon.A race with a mass start, where half the distance is carried out in the classic style, and the other half in free style, with a change of skis in a special transit area. Men run 15 km classic style and 15 km speed skating. Women - 7.5 + 7.5. During multi-day races, the distance is often shorter.

Mass start.Traditional races with a common start, where a large group of athletes starts at the same time and covers a certain distance. The most popular GC race is the marathon, but there are many other shorter distance races, mostly stage races.

Relay race.Team race, each team has four athletes. Two stages are held in the classical style, two in free style. The most common distance format for women is 4 x 5 km, for men - 4 x 10 km.