It’s an open race for gold in the gruelling men’s 50km freestyle mass start cross-country duel on Pragelato Plan on 26 February (Day 16) – the last race on the Torino 2006 cross-country program.

The 50km freestyle event has not been held so far at this season’s World Cup.

Italian, Pietro Pillar Cottrer, who was the hero of their 4x10km gold-medal winning relay team on 19 February (Day 9)is also rated a strong medal prospect in this event.

Pillar Cotterer skiing the third leg for the Italians closed a 10.8 second gap to give them the crucial lead over the Germans.

He also won bronze in the men’s 30km pursuit on 12 February (Day 2).

Pillar Cotterer lies in 7th place on the World Cup standings and will draw on plenty of vocal home support to get him over the line.

All-rounder Tobias Angerer of Germany was considered a medal chance before the Games, given that he is leading the overall World Cup standings. He anchored the Germans' 4x10km relay team which won the silver medal.

Frenchman, Vincent Vittoz - anchor for their 4x10lm relay team - is strong in the free technique and sits in 4th place on the World Cup overall standings.

Other challengers for medals are the Swedish relay team-mates Sweden’s Mathias Fredriksson and team-mate Anders Soedergen and Martin Koukal of the Czech Republic.

The 50km race is the ‘king of the cross-country’ events because of the strength and stamina required of the competitors to participate, let alone win it.

This is the only individual event at the Torino Games that is held completely in free technique.

At Salt Lake City 2002 the event was held using classical technique, but at Nagano 1998 the free technique was used.

The race gets underway on 26 February (Day 16) at 10:00.

Tracy Parish/AOC
Torino