The Swiss ski mountaineering team, supported by UNIL's researchers for this year's Olympic Games

Switzerland captured a historic gold and silver in ski mountaineering’s Olympic debut at the Milan–Cortina 2026 Games, achievements supported behind the scenes by two researchers from the University of Lausanne (UNIL).

Ski mountaineering entered the Olympic programme for the first time this year, with Swiss athlete Marianne Fatton winning the inaugural women’s sprint gold, while the Swiss mixed relay team claimed silver, confirming the nation’s strength in this new discipline.

To prepare for these unprecedented events, the Swiss Alpine Club relied on the scientific expertise of Grégoire Millet, professor of exercise physiology at UNIL’s Institute of Sport Sciences (ISSUL), and Forrest Schorderet, training and performance specialist. Since 2023, the pair have conducted biannual, three‑hour physiological testing sessions designed to optimise training while safeguarding athlete health.

These Games posed a unique challenge: unlike traditional endurance‑based ski mountaineering races such as the Patrouille des Glaciers, Olympic events last only a few minutes and demand extremely intense, explosive effort.

This short and very intense format forces us to rethink the athlete’s physiological profile and training methods, explains Millet

Understanding the demands of a new Olympic format

The team’s testing framework reflects this specificity. Athletes first complete a standard maximal oxygen consumption test, followed by repeated bouts of very high‑intensity effort not typically included in preparation for long‑duration competitions.

Performance is assessed across three test types measuring oxygen consumption under rising intensity levels. Each session concludes with a blood analysis evaluating, among other factors, red blood cell production in high‑altitude conditions - an essential physiological parameter in ski mountaineering.

Recovery strategies also proved crucial:

Field data showed that active recovery works best, so we encouraged athletes to walk or cycle after intense bouts rather than remain still”, notes Schorderet

Looking beyond Milan–Cortina

Although neither researcher made explicit predictions before the Games, their structured monitoring and targeted recommendations contributed to Switzerland’s strong Olympic showing.

And their collaboration with elite sport continues: following ski mountaineering’s successful debut, Millet and Schorderet will now support the Swiss rowing team as they prepare for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Find out more from the original story, in French.