Cross-Country-Klaebo targets history, Pellegrino carries home hopes

VAL DI FIEMME, Italy, Feb 5 : Johannes Klaebo leads a dominant Norwegian men's team in his bid for history and Federico Pellegrino carries the host nation's hopes as the world's best cross-country skiers gather in the Italian Alps to vie for Olympic medals.

This will be the fourth and final Winter Olympics for Jessie Diggins, the most decorated skier in U.S. history and the woman who helped put the country on the podium in a sport traditionally dominated by Nordic countries. 

Norway's men hold six of the leading 10 spots in the World Cup standings, including the top three. Klaebo again heads the way and arrived in Italy with his sights set on surpassing his compatriot Marit Bjoergen's record eight gold medals.

Pellegrino, one of the fastest sprinters in the world, and fellow Italian Elia Barp also hold spots in the top 10.

Like Diggins, Pellegrino will be bowing out after Milano Cortina and will be hoping to finally land a gold medal after taking silvers in the individual sprint in 2018 and 2022.

Diggins delivered a landmark gold with Kikkan Randall in the team sprint at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, adding a silver in the 30km sprint and a bronze in the classic sprint in Beijing four years later.

The 34-year-old said she was not putting pressure on herself to end the chapter with a gold medal, instead focusing on crossing the line with the same love for the sport that first drew her to it.

"I'm not worrying about outcome goals. I'm trying very hard to make sure that other people's expectations for me don't become my goals and my expectations for myself," Diggins told Reuters in November. 

SCANDINAVIAN RIVALRY

Diggins' toughest challenger could be Sweden's Moa Ilar, who sits second in both the overall and distance World Cup