Photos of the National Olympic Committee and the Belarusian Ski Union
The cross-country skiing competitions will be the centerpiece of the Winter Olympic Games. The first race is scheduled for the day after the opening ceremony -7 February, with the final races taking place on the closing day, 22 February. In the packed racing schedule, Belarusians will keep their eyes on 7, 10, and 12 February. On these days, Hanna Karaliova, the sole representative of Belarus in cross-country skiing, will take to the start line. Chairman of the Belarusian Ski Union Aleksandr Grebnev spoke to BelTA about the athlete's training ahead of the Olympics.
Desire, dedication, determination
Hanna Karaliova will compete in the 20km skiathlon (10km classic style and 10km freestyle), the 1.5km sprint, and the 10km individual start race. As Aleksandr Grebnev explained, technically the Milan Games will be Hana's second Olympics, but in essence her first. In 2022, she tested positive for COVID-19, which prevented her from competing at the Olympic Games in Beijing. “I sincerely believe in Hanna. She will not be afraid to challenge herself and will seek redemption for missing Beijing. I know she is capable of great things and will show it at the Olympic Games. Hanna wants this very much, she can do it. And she must,” he noted.
Hanna prepared for the Olympic Games together with the Russian team. In a neutral status, two Russian athletes, Daria Nepryaeva and Savely Korostelev, will compete in Italy. Since the number of support staff at the Olympic Games depends on the size of the team, Hanna will be accompanied by one service technician and one coach. By prior agreement, her Russian partners will provide additional support.
According to Aleksandr Grebnev, colleagues from Russia assist not only in competition preparation but also in the overall development of cross-country skiing. The training system in Russia is at a high level, whereas in Belarus, the focus is still not on achieving top results but on resolving numerous challenges. Having only one athlete at the Olympic Games is far from the level Belarusian cross-country skiing can and should demonstrate.
Ideal scenario
“Cross-country skiing is a mass-participation sport for everyone. Therefore, in our view, it’s important not just to talk about cross-country skiing when athletes go to the Olympics. We need to start talking about it from school age. The focus should be on regions whose climatic conditions allow for the development of this sport such Vitebsk Oblast, Mogilev Oblast, and Minsk Oblast. Especially since there is infrastructure both for amateur and professional athletes. Extensive work has been done to ensure our sports facilities meet all international requirements. “We will never achieve high results if we don’t work with the foundational and intermediate levels, if we don’t establish a smooth handover of athletes from coach to coach. Every region must have its own reserve, so that within our compact Belarus, there is internal competition. This is the ideal scenario, and we are striving for it,” said Aleksandr Grebnev.
We need heroes!
According to him, Belarus has established excellent cooperation with the leaders in cross-country skiing - our friends from Russia. “We are preparing a joint program that provides for comprehensive training not only for athletes but also for coaches, judges, and service personnel. A roadmap is already ready; after the Olympics, we will begin its targeted implementation. Results are only possible when there are specific tasks and actions at every level. We are involving medicine and science in this, without which modern sport is simply impossible. Cross-country skiing is a mass-participation sport, but it is a grueling sport. There are many nuances. Therefore, we are working on each one. We will start with the regions; that’s where the main ‘gems’ are. And, of course, we need heroes in sports, role models for children to follow, like Darya Domracheva in biathlon, Hanna Huskova in freestyle skiing. I hope that after these Games, Hanna Karaliova will become such a hero in cross-country skiing,” the chairman of the Belarusian Ski Union said.
What you need to know about the Olympic cross-country skiing competitions
At the Olympic Games, cross-country skiers will compete in 12 medal events, the same number as at the six previous Winter Olympics, starting with the 2002 Games. For the first time in history, men and women will race the same distances - this unified format was trialed at the 2025 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim. Both male and female skiers will compete in 10 km individual start races, a 20 km skiathlon (10 km classic + 10 km freestyle), and 50 km mass starts on the final days. In the relay events, each leg for all competitors will be 7.5 km. A total of 296 athletes will compete in cross-country skiing: 148 men and 148 women.
The cross-country skiing events will be held in the Val di Fiemme valley at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium. Since 1991, the stadium has hosted major international competitions and has been a hub for cross-country skiing enthusiasts for decades. The stadium’s 19-kilometer trails are known for their challenging terrain, and most of them are suitable for both freestyle and classic technique. In preparation for the Winter Olympic Games, Tesero underwent significant modernization, including alterations to trail routes and existing facilities. Snowmaking, lighting, and technological systems at the venue were also upgraded and improved.
Valeriya Stetsko,
photos by the National Olympic Committee and the Belarusian Ski Union,
BelTA.
Desire, dedication, determination
Hanna Karaliova will compete in the 20km skiathlon (10km classic style and 10km freestyle), the 1.5km sprint, and the 10km individual start race. As Aleksandr Grebnev explained, technically the Milan Games will be Hana's second Olympics, but in essence her first. In 2022, she tested positive for COVID-19, which prevented her from competing at the Olympic Games in Beijing. “I sincerely believe in Hanna. She will not be afraid to challenge herself and will seek redemption for missing Beijing. I know she is capable of great things and will show it at the Olympic Games. Hanna wants this very much, she can do it. And she must,” he noted.
Hanna prepared for the Olympic Games together with the Russian team. In a neutral status, two Russian athletes, Daria Nepryaeva and Savely Korostelev, will compete in Italy. Since the number of support staff at the Olympic Games depends on the size of the team, Hanna will be accompanied by one service technician and one coach. By prior agreement, her Russian partners will provide additional support.
According to Aleksandr Grebnev, colleagues from Russia assist not only in competition preparation but also in the overall development of cross-country skiing. The training system in Russia is at a high level, whereas in Belarus, the focus is still not on achieving top results but on resolving numerous challenges. Having only one athlete at the Olympic Games is far from the level Belarusian cross-country skiing can and should demonstrate.
Ideal scenario
“Cross-country skiing is a mass-participation sport for everyone. Therefore, in our view, it’s important not just to talk about cross-country skiing when athletes go to the Olympics. We need to start talking about it from school age. The focus should be on regions whose climatic conditions allow for the development of this sport such Vitebsk Oblast, Mogilev Oblast, and Minsk Oblast. Especially since there is infrastructure both for amateur and professional athletes. Extensive work has been done to ensure our sports facilities meet all international requirements. “We will never achieve high results if we don’t work with the foundational and intermediate levels, if we don’t establish a smooth handover of athletes from coach to coach. Every region must have its own reserve, so that within our compact Belarus, there is internal competition. This is the ideal scenario, and we are striving for it,” said Aleksandr Grebnev.
We need heroes!
According to him, Belarus has established excellent cooperation with the leaders in cross-country skiing - our friends from Russia. “We are preparing a joint program that provides for comprehensive training not only for athletes but also for coaches, judges, and service personnel. A roadmap is already ready; after the Olympics, we will begin its targeted implementation. Results are only possible when there are specific tasks and actions at every level. We are involving medicine and science in this, without which modern sport is simply impossible. Cross-country skiing is a mass-participation sport, but it is a grueling sport. There are many nuances. Therefore, we are working on each one. We will start with the regions; that’s where the main ‘gems’ are. And, of course, we need heroes in sports, role models for children to follow, like Darya Domracheva in biathlon, Hanna Huskova in freestyle skiing. I hope that after these Games, Hanna Karaliova will become such a hero in cross-country skiing,” the chairman of the Belarusian Ski Union said.
What you need to know about the Olympic cross-country skiing competitions
At the Olympic Games, cross-country skiers will compete in 12 medal events, the same number as at the six previous Winter Olympics, starting with the 2002 Games. For the first time in history, men and women will race the same distances - this unified format was trialed at the 2025 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Trondheim. Both male and female skiers will compete in 10 km individual start races, a 20 km skiathlon (10 km classic + 10 km freestyle), and 50 km mass starts on the final days. In the relay events, each leg for all competitors will be 7.5 km. A total of 296 athletes will compete in cross-country skiing: 148 men and 148 women.
The cross-country skiing events will be held in the Val di Fiemme valley at the Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium. Since 1991, the stadium has hosted major international competitions and has been a hub for cross-country skiing enthusiasts for decades. The stadium’s 19-kilometer trails are known for their challenging terrain, and most of them are suitable for both freestyle and classic technique. In preparation for the Winter Olympic Games, Tesero underwent significant modernization, including alterations to trail routes and existing facilities. Snowmaking, lighting, and technological systems at the venue were also upgraded and improved.
Valeriya Stetsko,
photos by the National Olympic Committee and the Belarusian Ski Union,
BelTA.
Follow us on:
