Cross-Country Skiing Olympic Games Milano Cortina

Winter Olympics: Sweden's Ebba Andersson suffers bizarre fall, carries ski in one hand as Norway take gold in women's relay - ‘I want to cry for her’

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The women’s 4x7.5km cross-country relay provided plenty of drama at the Milano Cortina Games, with Sweden and Norway locked in a fight for gold. But as the second leg unfolded, second-placed Ebba Andersson of Sweden was chasing hard when she suffered a fall. Calamitous scenes followed, with multiple falls in a race described as “chaos”. The Games are live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

There was non-stop drama in the women’s 4x7.5km cross-country relay on Saturday in Milano Cortina, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, with multiple falls in tricky conditions.

Sweden’s Ebba Andersson led at the start of the second leg before she was overtaken by Norway's Astrid Oeyere Slind, and she set off in pursuit of her opponent.

But Andersson fell and lost more time as Norway, and Italy built a gap between themselves and her.

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However, the worst was still to come as she fell for a second time - this time completing a full somersault for her troubles.

One ski popped off and slid down the hill, with Andersson only realising when she caught up to it that the binding had broken.

With no one in sight, the Swedish skier started running on one ski, holding the other.

"Oh again, what has happened? And she has lost a ski. It is broken - the binding is still attached to her boot, so that ski is no use whatsoever. She will realise that now, there will be technicians nearby hopefully," Ian Woods said on commentary.

Sweden's Ebba Andersson (L) hands over the relay to Sweden's Frida Karlsson

Image credit: Getty Images

The cameras cut to the waiting skiers, with the next to go for Sweden looking crestfallen.

"Frida Karlsson holding her head," Woods added.

"I feel for her," said Posy Musgrave on co-comms, echoing the sentiment of many watching.

"I feel awful for her, she is just desperately trying to keep going."

As Andersson continued to run holding her ski in scenes reminiscent of Chris Froome famously running up Mont Ventoux holding his bike, Woods was questioning why there was no aid coming.

"There should be technicians, there is no one in sight… There is nothing Andersson can do right now - finally, we have one of the ski techs for Sweden. Let’s hope it is the right shape ski, the right wax."

Watch: 'Astonishing' Karlsson takes sparkling cross-country gold

Video credit: TNT Sports

But there was even more drama to follow. The Swedish technician was attempting to run off the course with the broken ski - and taking a tumble himself, as Woods noted it was "chaos" out there, with cameras then cutting to a Polish skier wiping out.

As Andersson settled back into her stride, Musgrave was left to explain exactly how that baffling five minutes had unfolded.

"She’s had two falls, she is so tense out there - she has let the pressure get to her," he said. "I almost want to cry for her, it is so bad when something like that happens. No one wants to win a race like this, no one wants to win a medal like this."

In the end Andersson handed over in eighth place - and was left to watch and anxiously as Frida Karlsson and Jonna Sundling did their best to battle back.

Whilst the star duo could not reel in Norway, who took the gold, they did overtake the teams in front of them and did well to secure silver.

Speaking to TNT after the event, Andersson called the race 'a complete disaster' as she attempted to sum up the second leg.

"This day was a complete disaster for me," she said. "Unfortunately for the team, my leg got a really big gap for both Frida [Karlsson] and Jonna [Sundling] to chase the other nations."

Asked about any potential injuries she had sustained, she added, "My body feels okay, but it hurts more in my heart".

A fighting effort from Karlsson and Sundling ensured not all hope was lost in their hunt for a medal, with Karlsson gaining four places by the end of lap three, whilst Sundling battled through to earn silver for her country.

"I was just determined to give it my all out there and fight for the team," Karlsson said. "We will give [Ebba] a lot of hugs and love and we share her emotions.

"We're the best team, we share everything - and we will melt this and reload together."

Watch every event of Milano Cortina 2026 live on discovery+. Available across all subscription plans, starting at £3.99.

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