The Winter Olympic Milano Cortina 2026 , competition promises to be spectacular with a variety of races in classic and freestyle techniques. Key events will include men’s and women’s sprints, 10km/15km races, 30km/50km marathons, and team relays. Norway is expected to remain strong, with new talents emerging alongside established stars. Russia will likely be competitive, continuing its success from the Beijing Winter Olympic 2022, and Sweden will continue to be a powerhouse. As hosts, Italy will aim to perform strongly on home snow. The Italy Winter Olympic will be a stage for memorable performances, with athletes pushing the limits of human endurance and skill in the scenic Italian Alps.

Olympic Cross country Skiing has been a prominent event in the Winter Olympic since 1924, featuring races that test speed, endurance, and technique over various distances. In the last 20-30 years, several Olympic events stand out. At the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Games, Bjørn Dæhlie from Norway won the men’s 50km, while Italy's Manuela Di Centa clinched gold in the women’s 30km. The 1998 Nagano Winter Olympic saw Daehlie win the men’s 10km again, and Larisa Lazutina from Russia take the women’s 5km gold. In 2002, Thomas Alsgaard from Norway secured the men’s 30km gold in Salt Lake City, and Italy’s Gabriella Paruzzi won the women’s 15km. The 2006 Turin Winter Olympic Games featured Sweden’s Björn Lind winning the men’s sprint and Czech Republic’s Katerina Neumannová taking the women’s 30km gold. 

In Vancouver in the 2010 Winter Olympics, Switzerland’s Dario Cologna won the men’s 15km, while Justyna Kowalczyk from Poland claimed the women’s 30km gold. The 2014 Sochi Olympic saw Russia’s Alexander Legkov win the men’s 50km, and Norway’s Marit Bjørgen dominate the women’s 30km. The 2018 Pyeongchang  had Cologna winning the men’s 15km again and Bjørgen securing another gold in the women’s 30km. Most recently, at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic, Russia’s Alexander Bolshunov won the men’s 50km, and Norway’s Therese Johaug triumphed in the women’s 30km.

Top teams and athletes in Olympic Cross Country skiing have included Norway, with legends like Bjørn Dæhlie, Marit Bjørgen, and Therese Johaug; Sweden, with stars such as Charlotte Kalla and Marcus Hellner; Russia, featuring Alexander Bolshunov; and Italy, with historical figures like Manuela Di Centa and Gabriella Paruzzi.