DAILY BREAKDOWN 15 – Norwegian sweep, Italian dream and American defence steal the show
Feb 21, 2026·ilovesnow:format(webp))
Today delivered defining moments across endurance, precision and head-to-head racing before weather intervened to reshape the final freestyle schedule.
USA underlined their dominance in Mixed Team Aerials, executing when it mattered most to retain Olympic gold, while Switzerland capitalised for silver and China’s quest for a sweep fell short after late errors.
In Tesero, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo sealed one of the greatest campaigns in Winter Olympic history, completing a six-for-six clean sweep and leading a Norwegian podium lockout in the 50km classic.
Livigno then erupted as Italy celebrated a historic one-two in Men’s Ski Cross, with Simone Deromedis and Federico Tomasoni thrilling the home crowd in a breakthrough performance.
The Women’s Freeski Halfpipe final was postponed due to weather and will now conclude the freestyle programme on Sunday morning.
Medal Winners
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freestyle Skiing Mixed Team Aerials | USA Christopher Lillis Kaila Kuhn Connor Curran | Switzerland Noe Roth Pirmin Werner Lina Kozomara | China Wang Xindi Li Tianma Xu Mengtao |
| Cross-Country Skiing Men's 50km Mass Start Classic | Johannes Hoesflot KLAEBO NOR | Martin Loewstroem NYENGET NOR | Emil IVERSEN NOR |
| Freestyle Skiing Men's Ski Cross | Simone DEROMEDIS ITA | Federico TOMASONI ITA | Alex FIVA SUI |
Storylines of the day
Freestyle Skiing Mixed Team Aerials
USA confirmed their status as Mixed Team Aerials specialists by defending Olympic gold in Livigno, with Christopher Lillis sealing victory on the final jump to deliver a winning total of 325.35. Backed by Kaila Kuhn and Connor Curran, the Americans responded to individual disappointments with one of their strongest collective performances of the season.
Switzerland claimed silver behind a superb super-final effort from Noe Roth, Pirmin Werner and Lina Kozomara while China, despite arriving with the deepest roster of individual medallists settled for bronze after costly falls ended their hopes of an Aerials gold sweep. The result capped a high-quality finale to the Aerials season which concluded on the Olympic stage.
Cross-Country Skiing Men's 50km Mass Start Classic
Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) completed a historic Olympic clean sweep at Milano Cortina 2026, claiming his sixth gold medal from six events by winning the Men’s 50km Mass Start Classic and leading a Norwegian 1-2-3 in Tesero. The victory secured his 11th career Olympic gold, further cementing his status as the greatest Cross-Country skier of all time and matching his six-for-six golden haul from the 2025 World Championships.
Pushed deep into the final kilometres by teammate Martin Lowestroem Nyenget, Klaebo once again delivered a decisive uphill surge on the last climb to break clear. Emil Iversen completed the Norwegian sweep in bronze. A fast early tempo, warm conditions and late-race tactical decisions shaped the contest, while illness sidelined several contenders in a fittingly dramatic finale to the men’s Olympic Cross Country campaign.
Freestyle Skiing Men's Ski Cross
Italy ignited Livigno with a dream Men’s Ski Cross one-two, as Simone Deromedis and Federico Tomasoni delivered a historic double podium on home snow. Just days after ending a 34-year Olympic freestyle medal drought, the hosts added gold and silver, completing a memorable Games for the Italian freestyle team.
Deromedis controlled the Big Final from the start, while Tomasoni edged out Switzerland’s Alex Fiva in a photo finish for silver. Pre-race favourite Reece Howden (CAN) was eliminated earlier, and defending champion Ryan Regez (SUI) missed the final. For Tomasoni, racing in his first Olympics without a prior World Cup podium the result marked a breakthrough moment, as Italy closed their freestyle campaign in emphatic style.
Freestyle Skiing Women's Freeski Halfpipe
Due to unfavourable weather conditions, the Women’s Freeski Halfpipe Final has been rescheduled to Sunday, 22 February, with Run 1 now set to begin at 10:40.
Through My Eyes | A Special Letter
I Love Snow an Olympic campaign that shines a light beyond results and podiums, focusing on the personal journeys that lead athletes to the Olympic stage.
In Through My Eyes / A Special Letter, selected competitors share intimate reflections on preparation, pressure and what it truly means to compete at the Games.
Young, fearless, and full of energy. Muriel Mohr (GER) welcomes us into her world for a rare behind-the-scenes look at her life away from the snow. This episode reveals the genuine spirit of one of Germany’s rising stars.
I Love Snow
“I Love Snow – Passion Beyond Limits” brings fans closer to the athletes and stories that power snow sports across every FIS discipline - Olympic and Paralympic alike. The promise: authentic, emotional storytelling that turns moments into lasting fandom beyond Milano Cortina 2026.