30 kilometres (Freestyle), Women

In 1984 and 1988 the long-distance race for women at the Winter Olympics had been 20 km. That distance had been the long-distance at the World Championships in 1978, 1980, 1982, and 1985, but in 1987 it was switched to the 30 km, and the 30 km made its début on the Olympic Program in Albertville. The 1991 World Champion had been Lyubov Yegorova who had already won three gold medals in Albertville. But the gold medal would be won by Italy’s Stefania Belmondo, who led at every checkpoint, and defeated Yegorova by just under 22 seconds. The bronze medal went to Yelena Välbe who had been second at the 1991 World Championships, and was third in every individual event in 1992. Belmondo was at the 1988 Winter Olympics and would compete through the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. She would eventually win 10 Olympic medals, tied for best among female Winter Olympians, with two golds, adding the 2002 15 km gold to this event. At the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, she would light the flame at the Torino Opening Ceremony. Yegorova won medals in all five cross-country events in 1992, with three golds, in the 15 km, pursuit, and relay.