Cross-country skiing: Federico Pellegrino, the ultimate acceleration
He raised his arms before cracking. At 35, Federico Pellegrino led Italy to Olympic bronze in the relay.
“This medal has a special flavour,” he said in a statement from his federation. The third of his career. Silver at the 2018 Winter Olympics in the classic sprint? “Almost easy, I had no pressure”. The 2022 Winter Olympics in sprint skate? “Harder, with complicated choices. But the bronze he won at the 2026 Winter Olympics “goes even higher”, he assures us.
The last relay runner, he set off with gold and silver already out of reach. Martino Carollo tried to keep up with the hellish pace at the front, then passed on the baton in a good position. Fourth, in contact with the Finn, the Transalpine felt the opening. “I had exceptional legs and fast skis. At 35, few are faster than me.
She accelerated on the final climb, then shed tears on the descent. “Seeing them waiting for me, overjoyed at the finish, was the most intense emotion of these Games. More than a podium finish, it’s a passing of the baton: “The real mark I’m leaving is to see these boys convinced that they can aim for an Olympic medal.
Read also
