Johannes Dale-Skjevdal of Norway won the men’s 15km biathlon mass start at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Friday 20 February 2026, shooting a perfect 20 from 20 on the range to claim his first Olympic medal. Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid took silver and France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet added bronze on the final day of racing at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena.
What is the Olympic Biathlon Mass Start?
The mass start is the blue-riband biathlon race of the Winter Olympics. Thirty qualified athletes start simultaneously and complete five laps of a 3km loop, stopping for four shooting bouts (two prone, two standing). Any missed target forces the athlete to ski a 150m penalty loop. The men race 15km and the women 12.5km. Only the top athletes from the season standings and earlier Olympic races qualify.
The mass start joined the Olympic programme at Turin 2006.
When did the Men’s Mass Start Take Place?
The race was held on Friday 20 February 2026, the penultimate day of Olympic biathlon competition. It started in the late afternoon local time at Anterselva.
Where was it Held?
The Anterselva Biathlon Arena, known in German as Antholz, sits in a high Alpine valley in South Tyrol around 1,600 metres above sea level. It is a fixture on the IBU World Cup calendar and was the biathlon venue for Milano Cortina 2026, offering cold, reliable conditions and a notoriously demanding course.
Results
Dale-Skjevdal shot a perfect 20 of 20, becoming the first athlete to finish the Olympic men’s mass start without a missed target since Emil Hegle Svendsen won gold flawlessly at Sochi 2014. He finished 10.5 seconds clear of compatriot Laegreid and 25.6 seconds ahead of Fillon Maillet.
The victory was Dale-Skjevdal’s first Olympic medal, despite a decorated World Cup career. Norway’s one-two confirmed the country’s dominance of men’s biathlon throughout the Milano Cortina Games.
Background and Form Going In
Norway arrived in Italy as the dominant team of the season, with Johannes Thingnes Boe, Laegreid, Vetle Sjastad Christiansen and Dale-Skjevdal all capable of winning. Fillon Maillet, the quintuple medallist from Beijing 2022, was the leading French hope. Germany’s Philipp Nawrath and Sweden’s Martin Ponsiluoma, who had already won the pursuit earlier in the Games, completed the main contenders.
History and Records
Norway has now won the men’s Olympic mass start gold on five occasions since the event was introduced in 2006. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and Svendsen are the only other men to have shot a perfect round en route to mass start gold. Dale-Skjevdal’s win extended Norway’s lead at the top of the all-time biathlon medal table.
How to Watch (Replays)
Replays are available on olympics.com, Eurosport and Discovery+ throughout Europe, NBC and Peacock in the United States, and BBC iPlayer in the United Kingdom. The IBU’s official YouTube channel also carries highlights of the race.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won gold in the men’s biathlon mass start at Milano Cortina 2026?
Johannes Dale-Skjevdal of Norway, with a perfect 20 of 20 shooting.
When was the men’s mass start held?
Friday 20 February 2026 at the Anterselva Biathlon Arena.
Who won silver and bronze?
Sturla Holm Laegreid of Norway took silver and Quentin Fillon Maillet of France won bronze.
How far did Dale-Skjevdal win by?
He finished 10.5 seconds clear of Laegreid and 25.6 seconds ahead of Fillon Maillet.