At the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, Kristjan Ilves represented Estonia in the normal hill event, where he ultimately finished in sixth place after a strong performance. Ilves showcased his skills with the best jump during the morning round, allowing him to start the 10-kilometer cross-country race with a 15-second lead over his competitors. His initial pace was impressive, increasing his lead to 22.6 seconds by the end of the first lap.

However, as the race progressed into the second lap, Ilves began to lose ground to a chasing pack led by Jens Luraas Oftebro from Norway. By the 3.7 km mark, the group had closed the gap to just 10.3 seconds, and they eventually caught up with Ilves before the end of the second lap. This led to the formation of a seven-man group that skied together into the third lap, significantly altering the dynamics of the competition.

Unfortunately for Ilves, his chances for a medal diminished significantly at the beginning of the final lap when he struggled on a long uphill section, allowing the leader, Oftebro, to find an extra gear and pull away. The Austrians Johannes Lamparter and Stefan Rettenegger managed to stay with the Norwegians, sealing Ilves’ fate as he fell out of contention for a podium finish at the Winter Games.