Olympic Updates

Cologna collapsed across the finish line after completing the course in 33 minutes, 36.3 seconds Monday, then stayed down for several seconds while catching his breath and soaking it all in.

"It was an incredible race for me," Cologna said. "I had a very good feeling from the start. I am so happy. I didn't believe that I could win the 15K."

Italian Pietro Piller Cottrer won the silver, finishing 24.6 seconds behind Cologna, and Czech skier Lukas Bauer won the bronze to go with the silver medal he won in the 15-kilometer classical style race in Turin.

Bauer's time was 35.7 seconds slower than Cologna's.

Although the race was wide open, many expected Bauer to battle it out with World Cup leader Petter Northug, the best skier to come out of Norway since the great Bjoern Daehlie.

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