Andrea Giovannini won bronze in the mass start. © ANSA / ROBERT GHEMENT

Bronze! Azzurro rewards itself in its signature discipline

Andrea Giovannini secured Italy's 30th Olympic medal. The Italian won the bronze medal in the mass start speed skating event.

February 21, 2026

From: never

The Italian was already a world champion and World Cup winner in this discipline, and on Saturday afternoon the 32-year-old added a bronze medal in the mass start. The Trentino native won the showdown for third place convincingly, while a seemingly unsuccessful breakaway attempt ahead of him ultimately succeeded. The favored Dutchman Jorrit Bergsma and the Dane Viktor Thorup broke away after just over two of the planned sixteen laps.

It looked like an attempt to secure points at the first intermediate finish line. However, this developed into an attack on gold, as no one behind reacted. Ultimately, Bergsma celebrated his second Olympic victory with 68 points; he had already triumphed in the 10.000 meters twelve years earlier. For Thorup, meanwhile, the silver medal was his first medal at the Winter Games (47 points). Giovannini followed in third place with 21 points, ahead of Jordan Stolz from the USA (10).

Lollobrigida in fourth place

In the women's competition, local favorite and two-time Olympic champion Francesca Lollobrigida narrowly missed the podium. Ten points were enough for fourth place, while Marijke Groenewoud (1st/60), Canadian Ivanie Blondin (2nd/40), and American Mia Manganello (3rd/20) took the top three spots.