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American speedskater Jordan Stolz took to the ice one last time at the 2026 Winter Games on Saturday, vying for a fourth medal in the men’s mass start final.
MILAN, Italy — The closing speedskating showdown of the Milan Cortina Games delivered an unexpected twist.
The men’s mass start final commenced at 10:40 a.m. Eastern, with Team USA’s Jordan Stolz positioned seventh on the starting line. Stolz stood as the lone U.S. representative in this event.
In a startling turn of events, Stolz missed the opportunity to clinch a third gold medal at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Games. Furthermore, he did not secure a spot on the podium.
Men’s mass start results
With the men’s and women’s mass start events among the last to conclude before the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, anticipation was high.
Having advanced from the semifinals in fourth place, Stolz replicated that same position in the final, narrowly missing out on a medal.
Stolz, who qualified in fourth place earlier during the semifinals, finished in fourth place in the final.
The Netherland’s Jorrit Bergsma won gold and Denmark’s Viktor Hald Thorup won silver. Italy’s Andrea Giovannini won bronze.
Team USA athlete Ethan Cepuran was the only other American to qualify for the men’s semifinal event, but he did not advance to the final medal event, falling short of the final by one point.
This was Stolz’s fourth and final Olympic event in Italy. He previously won gold in the 500 and 1,000 meters before taking silver in the 1,500 meters. He didn’t compete in the 5,000-meter or 10,000-meter events.
How does mass start speed skating work?
Athletes, between 16 and 24 total, line up together on the long track and start at the same time. They race for 16 laps, and the first three skaters to cross the line take gold, silver and bronze.
In most cases, like other speed skating events, the pace starts slow and picks up toward the final laps. When people begin to try to overtake their competitors, it can lead to slips, falls and disqualifications.
