Cross-Country Skiing Olympic Games Milano Cortina

Winter Olympics: Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo bid for cross-country Olympic history starts in style in Milano Cortina as Norwegian takes gold

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Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo has opened up his Milano Cortina account in style by taking gold in the 10km + 10km cross-country skiathlon. The legendary racer is aiming to become the most decorated cross-country skier in Olympic history, needing four golds from these games to do so - and he is off to the perfect start. Watch the Olympic Winter Games on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo has taken a brilliant gold medal in his opening event of the Olympic Winter Games, winning the 10km + 10km cross-country skiathlon by two seconds ahead of France's Mathis Desloges.

Klaebo’s compatriot Martin Loewstroem Nyenget took bronze, but in a race full of controversy, it was Klaebo who kept calm to win his sixth Olympic gold medal in the skiathlon.

It means history remains within Klaebo’s grasp. The Norwegian is attempting to beat Marit Bjoergen’s Olympic record of eight cross-country gold medals, and you can follow his progress on TNT Sports and Discovery+.

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Klaebo won three back in 2018 when he was just 21-years-old, before adding two more to his collection in Beijing.

"I’m really satisfied and happy for sure about the performance," he said after the race.

"Yeah, it has been a lot of nerves before this race. I really felt I wanted to do well here, and my body feels good. We had a good ski,and it was an amazing day.

"I think [the nerves] are a good sign, though. I like it when there are a lot of nerves and I know it means a lot, and for me, for sure, it means a lot. I’ve been trying for the last few weeks to be at my very best here, and I felt good."

Klaebo admitted that his celebration would be relatively subdued with more racing to come in the next few days, saying he would simply say hello to his family.

But he did joke he might play some video games later, following the somewhat bizarre news that getting a good connection to games was one of his biggest concerns coming to Milano Cortina.

As for the race itself, it went much to plan for the Norwegian great, who looked comfortably in control throughout before out-sprinting his rivals in the closing stages.

"I felt like it was the way I wanted to race for sure. It went pretty fast on the classic part, and we did it fast the first couple of climbs, and then I just tried to stay in the pack and conserve some energy," he explained.

"It is my first [gold] in a distance race so it for sure means a lot. I felt like my shape is good, and this tastes even better."

As for his girlfriend, Pernille Dosvik, she was understandably in a very good mood when asked how her experience of watching had been.

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"Very proud, very excited, very happy. It is amazing to see him win, I have never been to the Winter Olympics before. It is my first time, very fun to be here," she said from the crowd.

Desloges takes unexpected silver

Frenchman Desloges took silver, finishing two seconds behind Klaebo. But it was nearly not to be, after he was investigated for cutting a corner in the second half of the race.

The moment was clearly caught on camera, as he battled for the lead and briefly took control at the front after cutting across the V-boards.

The officials had various options but after reviewing, chose to hand him a yellow card, meaning he kept his result.

It is a first Olympic medal for the 23-year-old, whose previous best result this season was sixth place in the 20km mass start free in the Ruka World Cup.

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

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