TESERO, Italy — February 13th will be marked as a fortunate day for Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo. The Norwegian cross-country skiing champion secured his eighth gold medal at the Milan Cortina Olympics on this day, equaling the record for the Winter Games.
Klaebo, 29, achieved victory in the men’s 10-kilometer interval-start race, earning him his third gold of the 2026 Games.
With three races still remaining, Klaebo now shares the record with three retired Norwegian athletes: Marit Bjoergen and Bjoern Daehlie from cross-country skiing, and Ole Einar Bjoerndalen from biathlon.
On the challenging final hill, Klaebo made significant gains, finishing in 20 minutes and 36.2 seconds, and showed signs of fatigue as he collapsed after crossing the finish line, which was deemed his toughest race.
He finished 4.9 seconds ahead of France’s Mathis Desloges and 14 seconds clear of his main competitor, fellow Norwegian Einar Hedegart, who lost speed on the final hill.
“This is a special day,” Klaebo expressed. “It means a great deal to me for sure… I’m at a loss for words.”
The Norwegian athlete was pleased with his strategy, having raced the first half of the course at a controlled tempo, conserving energy for a strong push up the last hill and the final stretch.
“It was incredibly tough out there today, so I’m very proud,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the French team celebrated as though they had won the race, linking arms and dancing in the snow after the underdog Desloges secured his second silver medal in his Olympic debut.
“I trained extremely hard for these events,” Desloges commented. “I assured people I was performing at this level, and now we are delivering.”
At 23, the Frenchman, like many top racers in the interval start, was mostly unaware of his standings throughout the race.
“I hardly pay attention to what’s shouted from the sidelines,” he mentioned. “Honestly, I don’t listen. I just concentrate on my race. I know what I need to do, and I give it my all.”
On a bright blue sky day in northern Italy, surrounded by the snow-capped Dolomite mountains, temperatures hovered around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Some competitors chose to race wearing only their bibs.
Course organizers treated the track with salt on Thursday to firm up the surface but left it untouched on Friday—a decision that benefited Klaebo, who started early among the seeded competitors.
Celebrations were led by Norwegian fans, with national flags—red featuring a blue cross outlined in white—draped over athletes and across the spectator stands. Klaebo’s grandfather, Kare Hoesflot, who played a significant role in his early career, traveled to northern Italy to watch the event. Meanwhile, congratulatory messages flooded in from home, where cross-country skiing is a cherished sport.
“Another demonstration of strength from Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo. What an exciting performance! Congratulations on achieving gold number three in these Olympics!” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere posted on social media.
