The individual sprints have been very successful for the Swedish women and the Norwegian men in the last seasons. And they will therefore also be the natural favorites in Val di Fiemme this time.  

Jonna Sundling and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo have dominated sprint finals at recent championships. 

Tuesday, February 10: Sprint C Women and Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 9:15 CET: Sprint Quali C, Women
• 9:55 CET: Sprint Quali C, Men
• 11:45 CET: Sprint Final C, Women
• 12:15 CET: Sprint Final C, Men

The start lists can be found HERE FOR WOMEN and HERE FOR MEN

ABOUT TODAY’S EVENT 

The sprint is divided into two parts. First comes a prologue – or qualification – with an individual start. The athletes start at 15-second intervals, with the best-ranked starting first. 

The same course is used later in the heats—the 30 fastest times from the prologue advance to the quarterfinals. 

After the prologue, the athletes choose which quarterfinal they want to compete in. The athlete ranked 11th in the prologue chooses first, followed by the athletes ranked 10th through 1st. Then the selection continues from numbers 12 to 30. 

There are five quarterfinals with six athletes in each. The top two in each heat automatically advance. In addition, there are two so-called “lucky losers” — the two fastest times among those who did not finish in the top two of their heat. 

The semifinals follow the same format: the top two in each heat, plus the two fastest times, advance. This leaves six athletes in the final. In the final, the first athlete to finish wins gold, the second wins silver, and so on. 

 Women’s Individual Sprint – Olympic Champions 

• 2002 Salt Lake City – Julia Tchepalova (Russia) 
• 2006 Turin – Chandra Crawford (Canada) 
• 2010 Vancouver – Marit Bjørgen (Norway) 
• 2014 Sochi – Maiken Caspersen Falla (Norway) 
• 2018 PyeongChang – Stina Nilsson (Sweden) 
• 2022 Beijing – Jonna Sundling (Sweden) 

WORLD CHAMPIONS WOMEN 

• 2001    Pirjo Manninen, Finland 
• 2003    Marit Bjørgen, Norway 
• 2005    Emelie Öhrstig, Sweden 
• 2007    Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen, Norway 
• 2009    Arianna Follis, Italy 
• 2011    Marit Bjørgen, Norway 
• 2013    Marit Bjørgen, Norway 
• 2015    Marit Bjørgen, Norway 
• 2017    Maiken Caspersen Falla, Norway 
• 2019    Maiken Caspersen Falla, Norway 
• 2021    Jonna Sundling, Sweden 
• 2023    Jonna Sundling, Sweden 
• 2025    Jonna Sundling, Sweden 

FAVORITES WOMEN 

Jonna Sundling, Sweden 

In the same situation as Klæbo for the men: Reigning Olympic and World champion. Sundling was voted “Female athlete of the Year” in Sweden in 2025 after three gold medals at the World Championships. Always delivering when it matters most. 

Linn Svahn, Sweden 

May be quicker than Sundling on the final 50-100 meters. But Svahn has been out for a year with a head concussion after her fall in front of last Winter’s World Championships in Trondheim. She came back and won the last World Cup sprint in Goms in style. If she is ok and in the same shape, she can win this race. 

Kristine Stavaas Skistad, Norway 

The only one who has beaten the Swedes on several occasions. Probably the quickest on the long and quite flat final straight in Val di Fiemme. But this year, most of the stories about Skistad have been about other things than her results. Yellow cards, negative comments, and a weak shape. She also finds this course a bit long and hard. Her strength is the final speed, not endurance, or uphill. 

OUTSIDERS 

Maja Dahlqvist, Sweden 

The leader of the sprint World Cup is coming into the Olympics. Dahlqvist is always there, but can she go all the way? She has the experience, she knows the course well, and she is also very quick in the last meters. But here the biggest chance is in the team sprint with Sundling. 

Coletta Rydzek, Germany 

Another very quick finisher. Rydzek has surprised us more than once with her speed coming into the finish straight and won the team sprint in Goms with Laura Gimmler. She has also shown that she can go all the way through the prologue and heats. 

Jasmi Joensuu, Finland 

Last Winter’s sprint World Cup winner is the only one to have won on the new Olympic sprint course at Lego di Tesero in Val di Fiemme. Joensuu took the sprint here at the Tour de Ski, and she may be Finland’s biggest hope for a gold medal in cross-country this year. 

Johanna Hagström, Sweden 

Won the chaotic sprint final in Trondheim before Christmas when several skiers crashed out. Hagström is normally one of the fastest qualifiers, but she is not always able to make it through the heats to the final.

Nadine Fähndrich, Switzerland 

Experienced and decorated sprinter who took a podium in the last World Cup sprint before the Games. That was in front of her home crowd in Goms. Not too often mentioned among the candidates, but Fähndrich can very well be a medalist here. 

Men’s Individual Sprint – Olympic Champions 

• 2002 Salt Lake City – Tor Arne Hetland (Norway) 
• 2006 Turin – Björn Lind (Sweden) 
• 2010 Vancouver – Nikita Kriukov (Russia) 
• 2014 Sochi – Ola Vigen Hattestad (Norway) 
• 2018 PyeongChang – Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (Norway) 
• 2022 Beijing – Johannes Høsflot Klæbo (Norway) 

WORLD CHAMPIONS SPRINT 

• 2001    Tor Arne Hetland, Norway 
• 2003    Thobias Fredriksson, Sweden 
• 2005    Vassili Rotchev, Russia 
• 2007    Jens Arne Svartedal, Norway 
• 2009    Ola Vigen Hattestad, Norway 
• 2011    Marcus Hellner, Sweden 
• 2013    Nikita Kriukov, Russia 
• 2015    Petter Northug Jr, Norway 
• 2017    Federico Pellegrino, Italy 
• 2019    Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Norway 
• 2021    Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Norway 
• 2023    Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Norway 

 FAVORITES MEN 

 Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Norway 

The gold medal everybody expects Klæbo to win. He has won the last two Olympics and the last three World Championships in the sprint. One of his strongest qualities is that he rarely ends up in dangerous situations. And he knows that he will beat them all at the final straight – that feeling is nearly a half medal. 

Erik Valnes, Norway 

Crashed out of the sprint in the last World Cup in Goms. But Valnes is experienced, and he is best in classical technique. But there were a few doubts about his shape before the Olympics. “The freight train from the north” is strong, but not as quick as Klæbo. 

Edvin Anger, Sweden 

Sweden’s biggest hope was that Anton Grahn was on the podium on this course at the Tour de Ski. Anger got his first World Cup victory last season, and he is a very strong skier. Lacking some of the experience from the Olympics, he should fight for a place in the final and maybe also medals here. 

OUTSIDERS 

Federico Pellegrino, Italy 

The last dance for the great sprinter from the Aosta Valley. Pellegrino would have liked it in skating, but he is an all-rounder and can also tackle classic. Silver medalist at the World’s last year and with the home crowd helping him, this is his big chance of ending his career on a top note. 

Oskar Opstad Vike, Norway 

Took the last spot on the Norwegian team and pushed Ansgar Evensen out in a tight battle for the places. Vike is the youngest of the Norwegians. He is a big talent who has done both sprinting and long-distance racing. Some back problems have caused trouble in the run-up to the Games, but he is aiming for a medal in his first Olympics. 

Lucas Chanavat, France 

Got most of the Summer and Autumn destroyed with injury and sickness. Came back and showed world-class around Christmas. But in the last World Cup-round in Goms he was far away from that shape. At his best, he is a candidate for a medal here. 

Alvar Myhlback, Sweden 

Had his sights set on the Ski Classics but was picked for the Olympics after strong sprinting at the beginning of the season. The former junior world champion and Vasaloppet winner at 18 is unpredictable. Won the Jizerská sprint in Czechia, but this is another ballgame.

Harald Østberg Amundsen, Norway 

Is a good sprinter, but would normally not race here if Norway had more than 8 spots in the men’s category. Amundsen has his biggest goal set on the longer distances. And he is a little better at skating. But all Norwegians who are to take part in the men’s cross country have to be considered medal candidates. 

Simone Mocellini, Italy 

Maybe a deep one, but Mocellini is something as rare as an Italian sprinter, best in classical technique. He has come back from a serious injury when he broke his legs in Canada. Often quick in the prologue, but can he make it all the way to the final? 

You will find the start lists HERE 

Cross-country skiing schedule – Olympics 2026

Saturday, February 7: 20km Skiathlon C/F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 13:00 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Women

Sunday, February 8: 20km Skiathlon C/F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:30 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Men

Tuesday, February 10: Sprint C Women and Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 9:15 CET: Sprint Quali C, Women
• 9:55 CET: Sprint Quali C, Men
• 11:45 CET: Sprint Final C, Women
• 12:15 CET: Sprint Final C, Men

Thursday, February 12: 10km Interval Start F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 13:00 CET: 10km Interval F, Women

Friday, February 13: 10km Interval Start F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 11:45 CET: 10km Interval F, Men

Saturday, February 14: 4×7.5km Relay C/F Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:00 CET: 4×7.5km Relay C/F, Women

Sunday, February 15: 4×7.5km Relay C/F Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 12:00 CET: 4×7.5km Relay C/F, Men

Wednesday, February 18: Team Sprint Women and Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 9:45 CET: Team Sprint F Quali, Women
• 9:45 CET: Team Sprint F Quali, Men
• 11:45 CET: Team Sprint F, Women
• 11:45 CET: Team Sprint F, Men

Saturday, February 21: 50km Mass Start C Men (More information can be found HERE)

• 11:00 CET: 50km Mass Start C, Men

Sunday, February 22: 50km Mass Start C Women (More information can be found HERE)

• 10:00 CET: 50km Mass Start C, Women

Complete program for the Winter Olympic Games can be found HERE

Val di Fiemme, a classic Nordic skiing venue, promises thrilling racing on courses steeped in Olympic history. Fans around the World will have the chance to cheer on athletes across all distances, from explosive sprints to grueling marathons.

Are you interested in traditional cross-country skiing? Click HERE and read more about it.

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