Klaebo in hunt for Olympic record as Men’s Cross-Country kicks off

The Men’s 10k + 10km Skiathlon could be written into the history books at Milano Cortina 2026 as Norway’s five-time Olympic champion Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo begins his campaign to become the most decorated men’s Olympic Cross-Country skier of all time.

As the Olympic men’s Cross-Country events get underway at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium on Saturday, Klaebo will be “fighting in every event”, needing four in Italy to claim the record number of Olympic golds.

The current record is held by his compatriot Bjoern Daehlie with a record tally of eight.

“It’s going to be tough,” said Klaebo. “We have six competitions but every race is going to be really hard. The one we are starting with on Sunday [the 20km skiathlon] is going to be one of the toughest. I will try my very best and see how it goes.”

The 29-year-old won all six events he contested at the 2025 FIS Nordic Ski World Championships in Trondheim, Norway, and has been in great form this season as the current leader in the World Cup standings but is aware anything can happen on the biggest stage.

“At a championship there are several things that need to work out for it to go well. You can be in your best shape but if you don’t have good enough skis or don't have a good day, then the level is so high that you end up missing out.”

Mattis Stenshagen, who will be making his Olympic debut and sits at the top of the World Cup standings with fellow Norwegians Klaebo and Harald Oestberg Amundsen, also knows that it may not necessarily be his team-mate’s day in the Skiathlon and it is all to play for.

“Sport isn't mathematics, even though it has looked like that with Johannes. He is one of a kind,” Stenshagen said.

“He also needs to have a good day to be able to win, but of course, his statistics look good.”

Federico Pellegrino will be hoping his home Olympics will spur him on to go one better than his previous two attempts, having won silvers behind Klaebo in the sprint events at PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022.

He sits behind the all three Norwegians in fourth in the current World Cup standings but is realistic of the challenge ahead when facing Klaebo.

“He is really strong and perfect for what we do in every distance, so the only way to beat him is to put him in a situation where he can't manage things like usual," Pellegrino said. “At the moment, I don't know how.”

Another competitor keen to be the one to upset Klaebo’s record-breaking ambitions is Sweden’s 23-year-old Edvin Anger, who also finished second behind him in last season’s overall World Cup.

 For the full Cross-Country schedule for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games click here.