Supreme Klæbo Dominates Olympic Dress Rehearsal: “Absolutely Unbelievable”

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo put on an emphatic display in the Olympic dress rehearsal in Val di Fiemme, showing why he is the favorite for the classic sprint at Milano–Cortina 2026. Klæbo exploded up the final climb, then opened such a gap on the descent to the finish that he was able to sit in a relaxed “hockey” tuck all the way to the line. He still crossed the finish more than three seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

Viaplay expert Niklas Dyrhaug called it “a crazy performance — absolutely unbelievable.” Two of Klæbo’s sprint rivals, Ansgar Evensen and Lars Heggen, finished fourth and fifth respectively; both are still fighting for places on Norway’s Olympic team. Heggen, 20, has already made a strong World Cup impression this season, including a recent podium in a Tour de Ski freestyle sprint and another final in the classic sprint where Klæbo and Evensen finished ahead of him.

Emil Iversen, by contrast, failed to make it through the prologue, placing 35th. Afterward he reflected on the performance with wry humour and suggested that his sprint career may be over, saying it felt appropriate to “light a candle” for his sprinting days. Despite that, Iversen still sits tied for third overall in the Tour de Ski and remains in contention for one of Norway’s eight Olympic start spots.

The Tour de Ski continues and will conclude on Sunday with the infamous 10 km mass-start finishing climb up Alpe Cermis — the monster climb that often decides the overall standings. With the Olympics less than six weeks away, Klæbo’s dominant showing in Val di Fiemme sent a strong message to the field ahead of Milano–Cortina 2026.