There is only one big favorite for the men’s first cross-country race at the Olympics. Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won all 6 gold medals at last year’s World Championships in Trondheim, Norway. 

The question is whether he can also do it at the Winter Olympic Games in Val di Fiemme. He was totally in a class of his own in the last World Cup round in Goms, Switzerland, and the question is whether anybody has a chance to beat him. 

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

• 12:30 CET: 20km Skiathlon C/F, Men

The start list can be found HERE 

ABOUT TODAY’S EVENT 

Skiathlons have been held in several formats throughout World Championship history. In the beginning, it was contested over two days, with an individual race on the first day and a pursuit start the following day. Since 2003, skiathlon has been raced over 15 km with a ski change. 

Today, the distance is 20km, as women and men now compete over the same distances. 

It is a mass start. The race begins with a 10km in classic technique. The skiers then enter their individual boxes, where skate skis and poles are laid out and ready. After the ski change, they complete 10km in skating technique. 

The first skier to cross the finish line wins. Often, a freestyle specialist prevails, since the final section is skated. However, we also sometimes see the strongest classic skiers break away and build a lead that holds all the way to the finish. 

It is also essential to be quick during the ski change. If problems occur with bindings, skis sliding away, or similar issues, valuable seconds can be lost, and a skier may lose contact with the group they entered the exchange zone with. 

Olympic Champions — Men’s Pursuit / Skiathlon (Cross-Country Skiing) 

Pursuit (10km + 15km / 10km + 10km combined) 

(Early combined pursuit format at Olympics) 

• 1992 – Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR) – 10km + 15km combined pursuit (Albertville)  
• 1994 – Bjørn Dæhlie (NOR) – 10km + 15km combined pursuit (Lillehammer)  
• 1998 – Thomas Alsgaard (NOR) – 10km + 15km combined pursuit (Nagano)  
• 2002 – Thomas Alsgaard & Frode Estil (NOR)* – 10km + 10km combined pursuit (Salt Lake City)  

*Gold was shared by Thomas Alsgaard and Frode Estil (co-champions) in 2002.  

Skiathlon / Pursuit (15km + 15km / 30km format) 

(Modern skiathlon format combining classic and freestyle) 

• 2006 – Yevgeny Dementyev (RUS) – 30km pursuit (Torino)  
• 2010 – Marcus Hellner (SWE) – Skiathlon (Vancouver)  
• 2014 – Dario Cologna (SUI) – Skiathlon (Sochi)  
• 2018 – Simen Hegstad Krüger (NOR) – Skiathlon (Pyeongchang)  
• 2022 – Aleksandr Bolshunov (ROC) – Skiathlon (Beijing)  

Note: The skiathlon event has replaced older pursuit formats since the mid-2000s. In the modern race, skiers complete the first half in classic technique, change skis, then finish in freestyle (skate) technique.  

WORLD CHAMPIONS (different distances) 

30KM 

• 1926    Matti Raivio, Finland 
• 1954    Vladimir Kuzin, Soviet Union 
• 1958    Kalevi Hämäläinen, Finland 
• 1962    Eero Mäntyranta, Finland 
• 1966    Eero Mäntyranta, Finland 
• 1970    Vjatjeslav Vedenin, Sovjet 
• 1974    Thomas Wassberg, Sweden 
• 1978    Sergej Saveljev, Soviet Union 
• 1982    Thomas Eriksson, Sweden 
• 1985    Gunde Svan, Sweden 
• 1987    Thomas Wassberg, Sweden  
• 1989    Vladimir Smirnov, Soviet Union
• 1991    Gunde Svan, Sweden 
• 1993    Bjørn Dæhlie, Norway 
• 1997    Alexei Prokurorov, Russia 
• 1999    Mika Myllylä, Finland 
• 2001    Andrus Veerpalu, Estonia 
• 2003    Thomas Alsgaard, Norway 

30KM SKIATHLON (15km classic + 15km free) 

• 2003    Per Elofsson, Sverige (10+10km) 
• 2005    Vincent Vittoz, France 
• 2007    Axel Teichmann, Germany 
• 2009    Petter Northug jr, Norway 
• 2011    Petter Northug jr, Norway 
• 2013    Dario Cologna, Switzerland 
• 2015    Maxim Vylegzhanin, Russia 
• 2017    Sergei Ustiugov, Russia 
• 2019    Sjur Røthe, Norway 
• 2021    Alexander Bolshunov, Russia 
• 2023    Simen Hegstad Krüger, Norway 
• 2025    Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Norway (10+10km) 

PURSUIT START (10km classic and 15km free, 15km with pursuit start) 

• 1993    Bjørn Dæhlie, Norway 
• 1995    Vladimir Smirnov, Kazakhstan 
• 1997    Bjørn Dæhlie, Norway 
• 1999    Thomas Alsgaard, Norway  
• 2001    Per Elofson, Sverige (10+10 km) 

FAVORITES 

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, Norway 

It is enough with one favorite here. The six-time World Champion from last season can win all kinds of scenarios. Klæbo knows he has the best sprint.

Nobody is better than him at skating, and he is in better shape than he has been at any time in his career. The only possibility of failure is if he suddenly cracks in the classic part. But he was in a class of his own in the last World Cup race before the Olympics, so why should he do that? Of course, accidents or bad skis can happen, but that never seems to occur with Klæbo.  

Harald Østberg Amundsen, Norway 

Some of the same qualities as Klæbo, but just a little weaker in all moments. Amundsen has the sprint and is one of the best in skating. His weakest part is classic skiing, but he was on the podium in Goms just before the Games.  

 Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Norway 

Has prepared a little differently than the other Norwegians on this side of the New Year. Impressive win in Oberhof. But Nyenget may be better in classic. And he doesn’t have the sprint of Klæbo or Amundsen. But he is a strong man and wants a quick start. This man can split the field early. Hopefully, for him, he has better luck than in the World’s last year when he crashed from a possible medal. 

OUTSIDERS 

Mattis Stenshagen, Norway 

He has gone a long way to qualify for the Olympics. Stenshagen has shown impressive results when he finally got the chance to shine. But did it cost him too much? Will he be able to find the same form in Val di Fiemme as at the beginning of the season? He is strong in both techniques, but he will not beat Klæbo in the sprint. 

Elia Barp, Italy 

The young Italian has made progress this Winter. He might be extra motivated with the Games on home snow. A medal will be a surprise, but he is a racer who can follow the leaders for a long time. The question is how long. 

Federico Pellegrino, Italy 

In his last Olympics, the Italian finally got to do it at home, even though he comes from the Aosta Valley. Don’t look upon Pellegrino as a pure sprinter. He is a master at hanging on with the best, even if he is tired. If he can manage the first half of the skiathlon, he has a chance for a medal here. 

Mika Vermeulen, Austria 

The Austrian living in Norway has shown that he is one of the few who can race with the Norwegians’ “red army.” But Vermeulen had a significant setback when he got sick over Christmas and New Year, and he has struggled to return to the exact shape since. 

Gus Schumacher, USA 

Sitting in the top 10 on the World Cup coming into the Olympics. Showed form in the last World Cup in Goms, and Schumacher and all the Americans are always a little extra motivated for the Olympics. It means a lot to them because Americans count the Olympics much higher than the World Championships and World Cups. Schumacher has a good sprint at the end. 

Savelii Korostelev, AIN 

The Russian talent makes a controversial start here. He is clearly a very talented skier, as he has shown in the few World Cup races he has raced this Winter. But given the current situation and his stripped nationality, the question is whether he gets the support he needs to fight for the medals. His mother, Natalia Korosteleva, was a top skier in the Russian national team back in the day. 

You will find the start list 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
• 9:15 CET: Sprint Quali C, Men
• 11:45 CET: Sprint Final C, Women
• 11:45 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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