The Mass Start events at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will conclude the long-track speed skating competitions with notable athletes aiming for gold on Saturday.
ISU Skating, the International Skating Union’s official site based in Switzerland, provides detailed coverage of the event and its competitors.
Bart Swings of Belgium will be defending his 2022 Olympic Mass Start title. Swings, 35, is recognized as a dominant force in this discipline, holding two World Championships, four European Championships, and five World Cup crowns. Although recent seasons have been disrupted by injuries, he showed strong form at the European Championships in January 2026 by securing his fourth continental title. Swings expressed his focus on improving his top speed and cornering technique before the Olympic final.
Among Swings’ main challengers is Italian veteran Andrea Giovannini, the current World Champion and 2024-2025 World Cup winner. Giovannini recently secured gold in the Men’s Team Pursuit alongside fellow Italians and may rely on teammate Daniele Di Stefano during the Mass Start competition. American Jordan Stolz, who earned two golds in the 1000m and 500m events, also remains a strong contender despite limited Mass Start experience this season. Other athletes to watch include 10,000m gold medalist Metoděj Jílek of the Czech Republic and competitors from France, Switzerland, Germany, and South Korea.
On the women’s side, Italy’s Francesca Lollobrigida will seek a third gold medal after winning the 3000m and 5000m races on home ice. Lollobrigida, who transitioned from inline skating in 2012, previously excelled in the Mass Start, winning World Cup trophies in 2014, 2018, and 2022. A third Olympic gold in this event would equal the achievement of retired 2022 champion Irene Schouten of the Netherlands, who completed a triple gold sweep at the Beijing Games.
Despite Lollobrigida’s ambitions, Dutch skater Marijke Groenewoud, the reigning World Champion and 2026 World Cup winner Mia Manganello from the USA are considered leading contenders. Groenewoud remains confident in the Mass Start event following less notable results in the classical long-distance races. Canadian athletes Ivanie Blondin and Valérie Maltais, who collectively helped secure their Team Pursuit Olympic title and achieved individual podium finishes, are also among the medal hopefuls.
The Mass Start semi-finals and finals take place Saturday afternoon and evening at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, with 29 men from 17 nations and 28 women representing 16 nations plus additional athletes competing for the Olympic titles.
