Italian cross-country great Federico Pellegrino is preparing to call time on a glittering career, but not before one last campaign on the sport’s grandest stage.
Almost has defined Pellegrino’s Olympic journey. The 34-year-old has twice stood on the podium with silver in the sprint discipline, yet the gold has eluded him.
Now, as his career builds to a crescendo with a farewell Games on home snow in the Italian Alps, Pellegrino remains grounded. Rather than fuelling the hype for home fans, he insists he feels no need to add pressure to his swansong.
“The only thing that I can do is to think that if I will be there to be my best and then maybe something can happen,” he said as he was finishing another training exercise in Sweden.
Though best known for his sprint success, Pellegrino recognises Italy’s golden relay triumphs in 1994 and 2006, but doubts he can emulate Silvio Fauner or Cristian Zorzi in leading the team to another title if selected to the anchor role.
“Of course, Italy’s past in cross-country skiing has been really strong at the Olympics, especially in the relays, in Lillehammer and Turin,” Pellegrino said.
“But I don’t think now is the time to compare with the past, because the conditions today are completely different.
“In December and January we’ll see what kind of shape I’m in, and how the team is as well. On that day, if the opportunity is there, maybe we can do well — or even really well.”
Despite 15 seasons at the top, two Olympic silvers and a world championship gold in Lahti in 2017, Pellegrino views his upcoming farewell on home snow without nostalgia, focusing instead on the present.
“The Olympics are why I’m so motivated. This is a great opportunity for me, for us, and I really want to seize it,” he said.
“I enjoy what I do, and I know that choosing to end my career after the 2026 Games carries a meaning far greater than sport.
“One of my goals is to inspire as many people as possible with what I’ve achieved in my career. I want to show that it’s possible to be an athlete, a student, a father and a husband all at once.”
The Milan-Cortina Olympics will run from February 6 to 22.
