Men's 50KM Skiing

One of the final events of the 2010 Winter Olympics will be in cross country skiing, and it is the Men’s 50 Kilometer Mass Start.

Bet The 2010 Winter Olympics

This event will be done in classical form and all competitors will begin at the same time from the same starting point. The gold medal winner will be the first to complete the course, much like in a marathon for runners.

Defending freestyle world champion, Petter Northug, is favored to take home the gold in this event.

Northhug enters the Olympics with odds of 2/1 according to online sports book Brobury Sports. Other short odds to win are Andrus Veerpalu (7/1), The Field (8/1), Odd-Bjoern Hjelmeset (10/1), Sami Jauhojarvi (10/1), and Lukas Bauer (10/1).

Northug’s world title last year came in freestyle skiing, where this event will be held in classical format. Northug, who represents Norway, has not won a major championship in this event other than his 2009 victory.

Veerpalu, who represents Estonia, won silver in this event in the 2002 Olympics, and he also won silver in the 1999 world championships.

Hjelmeset, who represents Norway, won the bronze in this event in the 2002 Olympics. He also won the 2007 world championships for the 50km and won bronze in the 2005 world championships.

Jauhojarvi, who represents Finland, is the last skier to have won a 50 kilometer mass start in classic form in the 2009 World Cup. He placed 10^th in the 2006 Olympics in this event.

Bauer is a Czech skier that has not won a 50km race on the world stage in his career. His lone Olympic medal was a silver in 2006 in the 15km classic. This year already, Bauer has won gold in the World Cup for the Tour de Ski and the 15km classic.

The 2010 Winter Olympics take place from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada beginning Friday, Feb. 12. and concluding Sunday, Feb. 28. For complete odds on the men’s 50 kilometer mass start cross country skiing event, see below

Odds to win the gold medal in the Men’s 50 kilometer mass start at the 2010 Winter Olympics

Petter Northug 2/1

Andrus Veerpalu 7/1

Field (Any Other Player) 8/1

Odd-Bjoern Hjelmeset 10/1

Sami Jauhojarvi 10/1

Lukas Bauer 10/1

Tobias Angerer 12/1

Eldar Ronning 15/1

Anders Sodergren 15/1

Axel Teichmann 15/1

Martin Johnsrud Sundby 17/1

Johan Olsson 20/1

Dario Cologna 20/1

Alex Harvey 25/1

Devon Kershaw 30/1

Jaak Mae 30/1

Vassili Rotchev 35/1

Anders Aukland 45/1

Jens Arne Svartedal 45/1

Giorgio Di Centa 55/1

Nikolay Chebotko 65/1

Jens Filbrich 65/1

Aivar Rehemaa 80/1

Rene Sommerfeldt 80/1

Bet The 2010 Winter Olympics

Posted: 1/28/10 1:51PM ET