During the women's cross-country skiing relay at the Milano Cortina Olympics, a pivotal moment occurred when Swedish skier Ebba Andersson fell towards the end of her leg, breaking her ski in the process. Sweden entered the race as the favorite, with Linn Svahn performing well during the first leg and handing Andersson a few seconds lead. However, Andersson struggled as Norwegian competitor Astrid Øyre Slind quickly caught up to her, leading to Andersson's first fall, creating a gap of about ten seconds. In a subsequent dramatic fall, Andersson broke her ski and had to ski on one ski for a time before eventually receiving a replacement. As a result, Andersson handed off to her teammate in eighth place, over a minute behind Norway.

Despite the setbacks, Swedish teammates Frida Karlsson and Jonna Sundling were able to secure a silver medal in the subsequent legs of the race. However, the incident highlighted the unpredictability of competitive sports and the significant impact that such crucial moments can have on the outcomes of major events. Andersson’s struggles served as a reminder of the physical and mental challenges athletes face, especially in high-pressure situations like the Olympics, where expectations are immense and the margin for error is razor thin.