Norway and Switzerland progress into the final by rights. The rest will have to wait and see what times are clocked in the second semi.

Cross country skiing looks easily the most physically exhausting of the winter sports to me. The rowing of the winters?

The top two teams from each semi-final progress automatically through to the final, plus six fastest losers, meaning 20 teams will be cut to just eight.

The advantage of being in the first semi-final is that you have longer to recover ahead of the final.

Margins.

Norway are sailing through, on the last lap now.

It's still 1-0 to Finland in the women's bronze medal match, Petra Nieminen's goal the difference maker as it stands.

Sofia Goggia saw off the challenge of American Lindsey Vonn to become the first Italian to win the women's downhill earlier.

And she took inspiration from the usual source - noble Japanese warriors.

"I was really giving attention to every little detail, moving like a samurai, usually I'm pretty chaotic," she said.

"Samurai are really perfect. They move with elegance. I'm not elegant but I paid attention at every moment to what I was doing. I was in the zone."

Norway still lead in this first semi-final. You can watch on the Red Button or at the top of the screen. Skiing uphill looks immensely hard every time you see it...

Graham Bell
Five-time Olympic skier on BBC TV

Marcel Hirscher could join an exclusive club. There are only three alpine skiers who have won three medals in the same Games.

The slalom will be tough for him. There's a few who could challenge.

Dave Ryding [from Great Britain] has had some good results. He has won runs this season. If he can put those together then there's every chance for him.

He really has to go for it - just go flat out for a medal. There is only really one medal up for grabs as everybody will be going for bronze.

The men's slalom final takes place at 04:30 GMT tomorrow morning

Image source, Getty Images

More from Lindsey Vonn, speaking to BBC Sport: "I'm sure my Dad is going to find something I did wrong - he loves to be critical! It meant a lot to me that he was here.

"We had some rough times and he wasn’t in Vancouver when I won so it meant a lot to me that he was here.

"We’ve all been really emotional because of my grandfather. It meant a lot for us all to be here all together. It’s a really emotional day."

Vonn's racing helmet has the initials 'DK' and a heart drawn on them, in memory of her grandfather Don Kildow, who died in November.

Graham Bell
Five-time Olympic skier on BBC TV

This whole Olympics was very emotional for [Lindsey Vonn.] She was crying in her first press conference about doing it for her grandfather. I'm just glad she got a medal - even if it was bronze.

There is more for her to do in this sport. She will race another season in the World Cup. She is also threatening to race the men so that's another goal on her bucket list.

Sofia Goggia took more risks. She attacked it and likes it when it's difficult and rough. She's a real bundle of energy.

The course setting made it more technical than the men's. The women's direction was over the edge which made it harder and that was where the race was ultimately won and lost.

Norway's Marit Bjoergen has set off like a scalded cat. On skis.

She already has seven Olympic golds to her name...

An emotional Lindsey Vonn, speaking to BBC Sport: "It was intense. I think mostly it was intense because I wanted to win for my grandpa.

"It’s hard to process it’s my last Olympic downhill race. I really want to keep racing forever, but I can’t.

"I’m really proud to walk away with a medal. I'm sure a lot of people will say I should have gotten a gold but it’s so hard to win a medal at the Olympics."

Image source, Getty Images

GOAT = Greatest Of All Time by the way.

See Valentino Rossi...

Jackie Lockhart
Four-time Olympic curler on BBC TV

Great Britain just didn't bring their A game. They had chances but didn't make enough from them. It just wasn't working for them.

They are still in with a chance. They have to play Switzerland and that won't be an easy game. They will look at that game and go over the strategy and will hopefully be ready for that game.

It's a completely different game now. It's a knock-out. It's a difficult position to be in but lets hope the guys can pull themselves back from this defeat and we can see a strong performance.

They will have to rest up and make sure they have their full strength.

Rob Walker
Commentator on BBC TV

Men’s and women’s team sprint coming up in cross country. Is this the day Marit Bjoergen becomes the number one Winters GOAT? Let’s see! On air soon!

Just about to start is the women's team sprint cross country.

The team sprint features two semi-finals and a final – they are mass starts.

Each nation can have one team, comprising two athletes, who each take three turns to ski.

The top two teams in each semi-final, plus the six fastest losers (from 3rd to 8th), progress to the final.

Easy! GB does not have a team competing.

An interview with Lindsey Vonn is being played out on BBC Two at the moment. Emotions were running high.

Image source, Getty Images

Lindsey Vonn won bronze in the women's downhill this morning, and opened up over the criticism she has been taking on social media.

Vonn said earlier this week that she is hurt by accusations she is anti-American because of her stance on US President Donald Trump.

"I think the most important thing on social media is to be who you are and remember that everything on social media lasts for ever," she said.

"It can be used in a very positive way if you’re a good person, but it just feels recently as if it's taken a different turn and I hope it turns around and that instead of tearing people down we can build people up. That’s what sport’s about. It’s hard for me to understand the thought process behind the savage abuse I've taken on the internet. In real life most people wouldn't say that to me, to my face.”

Image source, Getty Images

On what her message would be to her online abusers:

“Man, take a walk in my shoes. I will not be beaten. I stand strong and I'm proud of what I represent and who I am, and I'm very proud to hold the American flag on the podium. All Americans deserve to hold the flag and to be proud of their country, no matter what their beliefs because that’s what makes America great."

Jackie Lockhart
Four-time Olympic curler on BBC TV

These girls, I'm always very confident about. Eve Muirhead and her team always come good in the last three ends.

She pulled off a cracker of a shot in the ninth end [against Canada] and the team played a fantastic tenth end. Great Britain were fantastic in the last three.

We know Eve wants nothing more than that gold medal and they will have spoken about what they need to do in this play-off game.

It will be a tough game and the fact that Eve lost in the semi-final [in Sochi] will play on her mind - but they have confidence going into this.

British figure skater Penny Coomes on Instagram, external: "Sometimes things don’t go the way you want them to; the last year and a half has definitely taught me that... but I have also learnt that beauty blooms in adversity.

"After I broke my knee, during my road to recovery I envisioned what my Olympic Moment would be, and while I am so proud of what Nick and I put out there, the result wasn’t what I had hoped for.

"I wanted to be an inspiration for young people around the world and I am so grateful that the Olympic stage allowed me to share my story and to inspire the next generation.

"I am deeply humbled by the overwhelming amount of messages I received, and I want to say thank you to you all for making my Olympic Moment so special, and for making me feel so proud... and to me, that’s beautiful."

Image source, @pennycommes

Penny and Nick Buckland just missed out on a top-10 finish in the ice dance competition yesterday

The women's bronze match is under way!