Italy’s men once again secure an Olympic relay podium place. At Lago di Tesero in Val di Fiemme, the quartet made up (in order of appearance) of Davide Graz (classic technique), Elia Barp (classic technique), Martino Carollo (free technique) and Federico Pellegrino (free technique) captured bronze over the new 4x7.5km (C/F) distance. It is the sixth men’s team medal in Italian Olympic history (photo Gianpalo Piazzi/CONI), marking a return to the top three in this discipline after a 20-year wait, following two golds (Lillehammer 1994–Turin 2006) and three silvers (Albertville 1992–Nagano 1998–Salt Lake City 2002). On all five previous occasions the longer 4x10km format was contested.

There were embraces, emotion and tears at the finish line, particularly for Pellegrino, one of Italy Team’s two flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony at San Siro Stadium alongside short track skater Arianna Fontana, and competing in what represents his fourth and final Olympic Games. For the 35-year-old from the Aosta Valley it is also the third consecutive Olympic medal of his career (his first in a team event), following individual silvers at PyeongChang 2018 (classic sprint) and Beijing 2022 (free sprint). It is Italy’s 19th medal (six golds, three silvers and 10 bronzes) at Milano Cortina 2026, leaving the Azzurri just one short of the historic record of 20 set 32 years ago at Lillehammer 1994.

Graz produced an excellent opening leg, lying third behind Norway and the United States. Barp’s section was slightly less incisive but he still completed his stint in the top three, again behind Norway and Finland. The baton then passed to Carollo (fourth, behind Norway, France and Finland), with Pellegrino taking over 21 seconds adrift of the leading trio. Yet the Nus star produced a sensational comeback, already closing on Finland’s Niko Anttola at 26.2km before decisively powering past him on the final climb.

Victory went to Norway’s seemingly invincible quartet of Emil Iversen, Martin Løwstrøm Nyenget, Einar Hedegart and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, who eased to gold in 1:04:24.5. France, represented by Théo Schely, Hugo Lapalus, Mathis Desloges and Victor Lovera, claimed silver at +22.2, while Italy, finishing 47.9 seconds off the pace, secured bronze and comfortably won the sprint for third ahead of Finland’s Lauri Vuorinen, Ivo Niskanen, Arsi Ruuskanen and the aforementioned Anttola (fourth at +57.1).