The men’s skiathlon marks the start of Norway’s Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo record-breaking bid at Milan Cortina.

“King Klaebo” could break the record for most career Winter Olympic gold medals starting with this event on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 6:30 a.m. ET (airing on NBCOlympics.com and Peacock). He goes into the 2026 Games as the most decorated cross-country skier with his five Olympic gold medals, 15 world titles, and 100+ World Cup wins.

"I haven't set any concrete goals of what results I'd be happy with, but the goal is obviously to be fighting up there (for the victory) in every event, and we will start with that on Sunday (with the Skiathlon)," Klaebo said before the event.

After winning at this Tesero venue in January, he is considered the favorite to win the men’s skiathlon. Four years ago, at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, he finished 40th after realizing he would not win and wanted to save his efforts. Klaebo could utilize this strategy again on Sunday.

The last two Winter Games have seen gold-medal winners fall in the competition and make their way to the front of the pack. Neither winner of those Games — Norway’s Simen Hegstad Krueger, nor Russian Aleksandr Bolshunov — will be competing.

The Norwegians Martin Loewstroem Nyenget and Harald Oestberg Amundsen are also strong candidates to join Klaebo on the podium. Other contenders are 2022 Olympic bronze medalist Iivo Niskanen of Finland and Federico Pellegrino, who is competing for a medal on home turf.

The American to watch is Gus Schumacher, who is expected to give the U.S. its best chance of a men's cross-country medal during the Games.

Outside of Klaebo, cross-country history will be made this weekend as the men ski the same distance as the women’s skiathlon on Saturday. Milan Cortina will be the first Olympics where all of the cross-country skiing men’s and women’s events will be contested at the same distances.