American speedskater Jordan Stolz narrowly missed winning a medal in the 16-lap mass start at the 2026 Winter Olympics, finishing fourth as Jorrit Bergsma of the Netherlands and Viktor Hald Thorup of Denmark claimed gold and silver with a daring early breakaway.
Stolz, already a double gold and silver medalist at these Games, found himself caught in a strategic stalemate, waiting for the right moment to chase the leaders while conserving energy. Ultimately, the hesitation allowed Bergsma and Thorup to extend their lead lap after lap, finishing well ahead of the peloton.
“It was kind of depressing actually,” Stolz said, reflecting on a race where the group mentality in the pack prevented anyone from mounting a successful chase. “Everybody was settling for third place. I would have liked it if more people would have tried to chase back, but if I would have done it, I can’t pull six laps in that amount of distance and still sprint at the end.”
Italian skater Andrea Giovannini edged Stolz by .09 seconds to claim bronze, highlighting how close Stolz came to adding another medal to his Olympic haul.
Stolz admitted that mass start events are not his strongest discipline, having last competed in one at the World Juniors before this season. Despite the setback, he expressed satisfaction with his overall performance at the Games.
“You just have to expect the unexpected,” Stolz said. “Everybody kind of switches off when the Olympics come around… overall, I think it was successful.”
The race underscored the strategic complexity of mass start speed skating, where timing, stamina, and split-second decisions often determine the outcome as much as raw speed.
