Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics: Why Frida Karlsson's withdrawal 'completely changes' dynamic of the 50km mass start

Frida Karlsson, who was among the gold medal favourites for the women's 50km mass start on Sunday, has withdrawn from the event due to a fever. The news means Karlsson has had her hopes of competing for a third gold medal at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics dashed. The 50km mass start gets underway at 9:00 GMT - live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Frida Karlsson has withdrawn from Sunday's 50km mass start due to illness, blowing the door wide open in the gold medal race.

The 26-year-old powered to gold in the 20km skiathlon and 10km freestyle in the opening week of action at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, and was looking to make it a hat-trick of golds in the gruelling 50km event.

The Athletic reported that Karlsson missed Friday's final training session after showing symptoms of a cold.

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And the Sweden star posted on Instagram a picture of her face captioned "fever", alongside heartbreak emojis and a white flag.

"Unfortunately she's got a fever, and she's definitely not going to be racing," former biathlete Scott Dixon said in the TNT Sports studio.

"Jonna Sundling also is not going to be racing, so the favourite is now out of contention for gold, and therefore the door is open."

Karlsson collapses over the line to claim another victory in Ruka

Video credit: TNT Sports

And Dixon explained how Karlsson's withdrawal affects the Swedish team on a wider scale.

"Ebba Andersson, who is one of the favourites, she was doing intervals with Karlsson, because that's how they prepare," said Dixon.

"They were talking strategy, how are they going to pace it together, make a break to destroy the rest of the group.

"Now Ebba Andersson does not have Frida Karlsson to do that with. That's going to completely change the dynamic of the race."

Karlsson's withdrawal opens the field, with Andersson among the next in line for the favourite tag, while Team USA's Jessie Diggins is also fancied for a spot on the podium.

At 34, the 50km event is set to be Diggins' final Olympic race. She took the silver medal in the 30km four years ago in Beijing, and Sunday is set to be the first time women have raced across the 50km distance in Winter Olympic history.

'I thought I was going to do better' - Karlsson reacts to 10km victory

Video credit: TNT Sports

The absence of Karlsson threatens Sweden's strong record in the cross-country events thus far. All but one of the women's races has been won by a Swede, with Norway winning the 4x7.5km relay.

And it is only Norway who have picked up more medals than Sweden in the cross-country as a whole at Milano Cortina, thanks in large part to history maker Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, who swept gold in all six of his events to take his career tally to a record 11.

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