Viewing Guide: Olympics Days 1–3, Skiathlon and Sprint

This month’s coverage of [global sporting event in Italy] is supported by Runners’ Edge Alaska. We sincerely appreciate their belief in what we are doing here.

By Gavin Kentch

LAGO DI TESERO — We’re finally here. Racing at the 2026 Winter Olympics kicks off early this afternoon with the women’s skiathlon. The men follow tomorrow. The classic sprint is on Tuesday.

Yesterday I asked Matt Whitcomb if the Olympics schedule, with one race nearly every day, is harder or easier than the World Cup schedule, with two races nearly every day. “It’s easier,” he said. Instantly and unambiguously.

I’m writing this from the venue. The gates recently opened to spectators. I am sitting in the Enhanced Venue Media Center, a very large tent heated to approximately 100 degrees. I have never previously been at a ski race that had more than a dozen or so reporters at it (all-time shoutout to Anchorage for sending as many reporters to 2025 U.S. Nationals as were present at the Canmore World Cup swing in February 2024). This tent has a capacity for something like 200 journalists, and is filling quickly.

There are many people here, all typing very quickly. I would estimate the gender percentage breakdown at, oof, 90–10 male–female. Maybe 95 percent male. Negative shoutout to cross-country skiing media for largely mirroring the gender ratio of cross-country skiing wax rooms.

The Nordic Insights photographer just arrived, fresh off winning three medals at World Masters just up the road in Sappada. I congratulate Anna on doubling the number of female photojournalists in the room. This is in jest, but not by much. She tells me that our branded Nordic Insights hats, which are the brightest pink you have ever seen (I love them so much), are contraindicated for photo stations, as being too garish for the broadcast. Nordic Insights: too pink for public consumption.

On the bus ride over here a nice man from Holland, who works in broadcast, asked me, in impeccable English, about an American speedskater. Once we ascertained that he was not discussing, forgive me, Apolo Anton Ohno, I had to tell him that I was drawing a complete blank. If you’d like a whole lot of insights about nordic skiing, don’t touch that dial. For everything else, here’s the AP’s Olympics hub.

So. Here’s what I can tell you about the first three days of racing here.

When are the races?

Local time at the venue is Central European Time. This is six hours ahead of the East Coast, and 10 hours ahead of Alaska. We’re gonna lead with Alaska Time here, now, as always, because half of the Olympic roster is based there. Them’s the rules.

Who will be racing for the U.S.?

In the women’s skiathlon: Jessie Diggins (bib 1), Julia Kern (bib 19), Rosie Brennan (bib 29), and Novie McCabe (bib 48). Not really any surprises here, save perhaps for Rosie Brennan. It sucks that seeing Rosie get an Olympic start is a minor surprise these days. I hope she is back to baseline and crushes it today.

Oh also Diggins will probably win a medal, so that’s cool, too.

What is the weather like?

Inside this tent, pretty frigging hot. Outside the tent, a bit above freezing; yr.no is saying +7 C, though I would have guessed a little cooler than that. Currently overcast. Slight chance of sprinkles come race time. Snow is probably gonna be pretty darn soft by the time the 1 p.m. race start rolls around, though not quite as much as yesterday. Not sure if it froze overnight; I will ask folks about that post-race.

Here is the point forecast for the venue fyi.

Where can you watch these races?

NBC, because Olympics. On broadcast television, and on something called Peacock. I think you can also watch live events for free on olympics.com. The venue wifi is emphatically not letting me geolocate to the U.S. via a VPN, so I can’t tell you what this looks like from the states, sorry.

What background stories can you read?

Here is some recent Olympics coverage:

I think that’s it. Thanks for tuning in. We’ll have race reports up after each day.

And again, thank you SO much to everyone who has supported this site at any point in the last four years. I still can’t believe we’re here, candidly. You know how the athletes say that every message, every comment, every expression of support is noticed, and makes a difference? It sure as hell does. Thank you, and go team.

You’re reading this on Nordic Insights, one man’s labor of love dedicated to publicizing American skiing. We started with nothing and now we’re at the Olympics. You can read more about our first three years here, and donate to the Olympics fund here. Thank you for consideration, and, especially, for reading.