Italy Skates to Gold in Team Pursuit

Italy upsets US in team pursuit

Italy beats heavily-favored US team, dubbed 'Pain Train', to win gold in men's speed skating team pursuit at Milan Olympics.

The victory marked Italy's first Olympic gold in the event since 2006...

Italy pulled off a stunning upset in the men's speed skating team pursuit, beating the heavily-favored United States team, nicknamed the 'Pain Train', to claim the gold medal. The Italians, led by Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini, and Michele Malfatti, trailed for most of the final but surged ahead with three laps remaining, finishing 4.5 seconds ahead of the Americans.

The victory marked Italy's first Olympic gold in the event since 2006, and they celebrated with a nod to basketball star Stephen Curry's iconic 'good night' gesture. China took the bronze medal, narrowly beating the Netherlands.

The United States was favored to win gold in the men's team pursuit event at the Milan Olympics, with their team, dubbed the 'Pain Train', holding the world record and championship title. However, Italy pulled off an upset, beating the US team by 4.5 seconds to take the gold medal. The US team, consisting of Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson, and Emery Lehman, settled for silver.

L’Italia festeggia un altro splendido oro conquistato dalla staffetta del pattinaggio di velocità: gli azzurri Davide Ghiotto, Andrea Giovannini e Michele Malfatti battono in finale gli Stati Uniti.#milanocortina2026 #olimpiadi pic.twitter.com/H7q1jMU0Xk

— Repubblica (@repubblica) February 17, 2026

China edged out the Netherlands for the bronze medal, finishing 0.09 seconds ahead after a strong final push from the Dutch team. This marks the second consecutive Games where the Netherlands has missed out on a team pursuit medal.

The Netherlands had a strong streak in the team pursuit event at the Olympics, winning medals in the first four editions between 2006 and 2018. However, they've been without a medal since the 2018 Games in PyeongChang. Italy's team, featuring Andrea Giovannini, Michele Malfatti, and Davide Ghiotto, pulled off an upset, beating the Netherlands in the first semifinal on Tuesday. The Italians led for most of the race and expanded their lead in the final laps, sending the Netherlands, led by 40-year-old Jorrit Bergsma, to the final B.

The United States dominated China in the second semifinal, finishing nearly eight seconds ahead of Liu Hanbin, Ning Zhongyan, and Wu Yu. With Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson, and Emery Lehman leading the charge, the US team secured its spot in the Olympic team pursuit final.