Johannes Høsflot Klæbo of Norway has won five gold medals in cross-country skiing events at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, matching his entries so far. With one race remaining, he aims for a perfect sweep. His dominance has drawn comparisons to swimming legend Michael Phelps.
A Historic Run in the Italian Alps
At the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has achieved a remarkable feat, securing gold in all five events he has entered. These victories bring his career Olympic total to 10 golds, along with one silver and one bronze from previous Games, placing him second all-time behind only Michael Phelps.
Klæbo's successes include the skiathlon—a 20-kilometer race split between classic and freestyle techniques—the 1,500-meter sprint, the solo 10-kilometer race, the 4x7.5-kilometer relay, and the two-man team sprint. His final event, the 50-kilometer mass start, is scheduled for Saturday, offering a chance to win six golds in six events, a sweep he accomplished at the 2025 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim.
Norway leads in Winter Olympic cross-country skiing history with 139 medals, far ahead of Sweden's 93. Klæbo's versatility across sprint and endurance distances sets him apart; at the 2025 worlds, no other male skier medaled more than three times, and podium finishers in sprints rarely competed in longer races.
“He’s the best cross-country skier of all time,” said teammate Einar Hedegart.
Klæbo's edge comes from his signature "Klaebo stride" or "Klæbo-klyvet," developed nearly a decade ago with grandfather and coach Kare Hoesflot. This technique involves high knee pumps and keeping a leg airborne for 61% of the stride, allowing explosive uphill speed—roughly a 5:20 per mile pace. As professor Hans-Christer Holmberg of Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet noted, it is a "nuclear option" few can replicate.
Klæbo trains with over 1,000 hours of cardiovascular work annually, including monthly 30-minute roller-ski climbs gaining nearly one-third of a vertical mile. His approach echoes rare all-around endurance athletes like compatriot triathlete Kristian Blummenfelt and runner Sifan Hassan, who medaled across distances at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Even without a win in the finale, Klæbo's performance redefines possibilities in the sport.
