February 8, 2026 - (Milano Cortina, ITA) In the first cross country event of the Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina on Feb. 7, Jessie Diggins led the U.S. contingent in a hard-fought Skiathlon, 10k classic with 10k of skate, to take eighth place.
It was warm and slushy at the Tesero Stadium in Val di Fiemme, Italy, creating tricky conditions for the pack. Despite early challenges, including a fall right at the beginning of the race, Diggins rallied in the skate portion of the event to ultimately cross the line in eighth.
Sweden’s Frida Karlsson took the victory powering away from the field to claim gold with a commanding performance. Her teammate Ebba Andersson took silver, while Norway’s Heidi Weng, who made up several places in the skate leg, rounded out the podium with bronze. Alison Mackie was the top Canadian in 22nd.
Full results here – read more here.
In the men’s Skiathlon, 10k classic with 10k of skate event, Canmore’s Xavier McKeever, 22, made his Olympic debut finishing 13th at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium marking the best Canadian individual men’s cross-country skiing result at the Olympic Winter Games since Alex Harvey in 2018.
Winning gold was Norway’s top skier Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo at time of 46:11.0 and rounding out the podium were France’s Mathis Desloges in second followed by Norway’s Martin Loewstroem Nyenget in third. The top US skier was Gus Schumacher placing 24th after battling back from an early-race fall.
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