RHO, Italy – They came by the thousands. Speed-skating fans from the Netherlands, dressed head to toe in orange, the colors of the national team. Many were adorned with tulips. They came to Milan for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics to cheer for skaters, including sprinter Jenning de Boo.

Lest anyone think there's something wrong with comparing current U.S. Olympic speedskating star Jordan Stolz to five-gold-medals-in-1980 Olympic speedskating star Eric Heiden, well, let's check in on what Heiden himself had to say Saturday after watching the kid win his second race at the Milan Cortina Games.

Ilia Malinin is getting more criticism for 'choking' after Team USA speedskater Jordan Stolz scored a second gold medal.

For a while now, Jordan Stolz's talent and dominance as a speedskater, and his much-anticipated potential for Olympic success, prompted many to repeatedly mention his name -- prematurely, no doubt -- alongside that of Eric Heiden.

Mikaela Shiffrin to Ski in Women’s Giant Slalom Tomorrow, Sunday at 4 a.m. ET on Peacock and USA Network (First Run) and 7:30 a.m. ET on NBC and Peacock (Final Run)