MILAN — You wouldn’t have guessed Madison Chock and Evan Bates just put on another season-best performance, no less on the biggest stage at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The couple were calm and unceremonious with reporters after their free dance in the team event on Saturday, Feb. 7, which put the U.S. in first place with a five-point lead heading into the medal-deciding final day on Sunday.
Were they not happy? Far from it. Were they mad? Doesn’t seem so.
So what was it? Maybe it’s because they have their eyes set on a bigger prize, but are working through a gauntlet to get to it. Simply put, they’re buckling up for arguably the biggest week of their lives.
Chock and Bates by far have the most challenging schedule of any figure skaters in the Games: Four programs in six days, including back-to-back duty in the team event on Feb. 6 and 7. Now, they have 48 hours until the ice dance competition opens Feb. 9 with the rhythm dance and concludes on Feb. 11 with the free dance. Their performances in the team event set up Team USA for its second straight gold medal.
