MILAN/TESERO, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Olympic medallists Federico Pellegrino of Italy and Ben Ogden from the United States will not participate in Saturday's 50km classic cross-country ski race due to illnesses.
"The wrist tendinitis was 'under control', but since Friday morning I have been in bed with flu-like symptoms, and I am enormously sorry to tell you that today I will not be at the start of the 50 km", Pellegrino wrote to fans via the Italian ski federation website.
Pellegrino, 35, won a gold medal
in the individual sprint at the 2017 world championships and two silver medals at the Beijing and Pyeongchang Games.
At the Milano Cortina Games he has won two bronze medals, one in the men's relay and the other in the men's team sprint.
"Not being able to experience those emotions that only the final kilometers of an exhausting race—cheered on by fans and by my whole family—at the biggest sporting event at home, emotions I had hoped to experience, is heartbreaking", he added.
U.S. skier Ben Ogden, 26, has won two silver medals at the Games, one in the men’s classic sprint and another in the men’s team sprint.
"Ben Ogden woke up sick and will not compete in today’s 50k to rest and recover before the last four weeks of World Cup racing," a spokesperson for the U.S. men’s cross-country team said.
Ristomatti Hakola of Finland will also not race due to flu.
(Reporting by Elisa Anzolin in Milan, Tommy Lund and Liz Hampton in Tesero; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
