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Jordan Stolz is 4th in the last Olympic speedskating race after winning gold
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Jordan Stolz is 4th in the last Olympic speedskating race after winning gold

#Jordan Stolz #Speedskating #Milan Cortina Olympics 2026 #Mass Start #Jorrit Bergsma #Olympic Medals #Dutch Speedskaters #Winter Sports

📌 Key Takeaways

  • Jordan Stolz finished fourth in his final Olympic race after winning two golds and one silver
  • Dutch veteran Jorrit Bergsma, at 40, became the oldest speedskater to win Olympic gold
  • Stolz was attempting to become the first man in 32 years with three Olympic golds in speedskating
  • The race was criticized for tactical surprises as other skaters didn't attempt to chase the leaders
  • Dutch skaters dominated both men's and women's mass start events

📖 Full Retelling

American speedskater Jordan Stolz finished fourth in the men's mass start speedskating event at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium on February 21, 2026, ending his Olympic campaign with two gold medals, one silver, and a fourth-place finish after his bid to become the first man in 32 years with three Olympic golds in long track speedskating fell short when Dutch veteran Jorrit Bergsma claimed gold. The 21-year-old from Wisconsin had dominated the earlier races, winning gold in the 500 meters and 1,000 meters, and taking silver in the 1,500 meters. However, the mass start proved to be a different challenge as Bergsma, at 40 the oldest speedskater to win Olympic gold, broke away from the pack early in the 16-lap race. Stolz expected other skaters to chase the leaders but was shocked when no one attempted to reel in Bergsma and Denmark's Viktor Hald Thorup, who ultimately took silver. Italian Andrea Giovannini claimed bronze, narrowly edging out Stolz in a closing sprint that left the American visibly frustrated. "I'm really happy for Jorrit. And I'm really happy for Viktor. Other than that, I don't have anything that's printable. The stupidest race I've ever seen in my life," said Stolz's coach, Bob Corby, criticizing the tactical approach of the peloton. "The whole peloton decided, like, 'Well, let's race for the bronze medal.' So dumb." In the women's mass start, Dutch skaters continued their dominance with reigning world champion Marijke Groenewoud claiming gold, while Canadian Ivanie Blondin took silver and American Mia Manganello earned bronze in her final career race.

🏷️ Themes

Olympic Competition, Sports Strategy, American Athletes, Dutch Dominance

📚 Related People & Topics

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Speed skating

Speed skating

Competitive form of ice skating

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Jorrit Bergsma

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Dutch speed skater (born 1986)

Jacob Jorrit Bergsma (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈjɔrɪd ˈbɛr(ə)xsmaː]; born 1 February 1986) is a Dutch speed skater and marathon skater. At the 2014 Winter Olympics, he won the gold medal in the 10,000 m. His coach is Jillert Anema.

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Jordan Stolz

Jordan Stolz

American speed skater (born 2004)

Jordan Stolz (born May 21, 2004), also known as The Milwaukee Missile, is an American long-track speed skater and Olympic gold medalist. At the 2023 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships, Stolz won the 500 meters to become the youngest single distance world champion in history. He also ...

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Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

Jordan Stolz's fourth-place finish in the mass start ended his bid for a third Olympic gold, marking a significant moment for American speedskating and highlighting the dominance of Dutch skaters at the 2026 Games.

Context & Background

  • Stolz had already won two golds and a silver in Milan, aiming for a historic third gold.
  • The mass start was the final event, with Jorrit Bergsma taking gold for the Netherlands.
  • The race was notable for its unexpected lack of chase and the Dutch sweep of medals.

What Happens Next

Stolz will likely reassess his strategy for future competitions, while the Dutch team continues to build on its strong Olympic performance. The results may influence training approaches for American speedskaters heading into the next Winter Games.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Jordan Stolz not chase in the mass start?

Stolz believed the other skaters would chase and wanted to conserve energy, so he did not pursue the leaders.

Who won the men's mass start at the 2026 Olympics?

Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands won the gold medal.

What medals did Jordan Stolz win in Milan?

Stolz won gold in the 500 meters and 1,000 meters, and silver in the 1,500 meters.

Original Source
World Jordan Stolz's bid for another Olympic gold medal ends as Dutch speedskaters win mass start February 21, 2026 / 1:57 PM EST / AP Add CBS News on Google Jordan Stolz 's bid to become the first man in 32 years with three Olympic golds in long track speedskating was fading Saturday. Way ahead in the mass start, the sport's final event at the Milan Cortina Games , was 40-year-old Jorrit Bergsma, who joined another skater in pulling away from the pack with several laps to go. Stolz kept figuring someone else would try to reel in the leaders. No one did. Stolz was shocked. He wound up in fourth place behind the mullet-wearing Bergsma, the oldest speedskater to claim a gold at any Olympics. "They all expected me to chase, but I wasn't going to do that," said Stolz, a 21-year-old from Wisconsin. "If I had chased with five laps to go, I would have just blown myself up. I thought the other guys would be a bit more hungry to do it, but I guess they didn't want to." He won his first two events in Milan, the 500 meters and 1,000 meters . Then came a silver in the 1,500. After that result on Thursday, Stolz said: "I didn't have it today. Not sure why." He didn't have enough in the mass start, either. Viktor Hald Thorup of Denmark, who moved out front with Bergsma initially, got the silver. Andrea Giovannini, who mimicked Steph Curry's "Night night" gesture when he helped Italy beat the favored U.S. in the men's team pursuit, was the bronze medalist, barely nudging past Stolz in a closing sprint. "I'm really happy for Jorrit. And I'm really happy for Viktor. Other than that, I don't have anything that's printable. The stupidest race I've ever seen in my life," said Stolz's coach, Bob Corby. "The whole peloton decided, like, 'Well, let's race for the bronze medal.' So dumb." Ahead of these Olympics, there had been a lot of talk about whether Stolz might end up with a quartet of golds, and he was asked questions about that at news conferences immediately following his two wins...
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