Chock & Bates [fan thread #2]: "All Paths Have Led to This Moment"

[princeton123]

these two better lock tf in. I cannot have certain skaters be two-time gold medalists

 

[Sylvia]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2014730911091134467

 

[Sylvia]

The Road to Milan: Madison Chock and Evan Bates on Process, Patience, and Perspective

January 23, 2026 • 10 mins
Madison Chock and Evan Bates are among the most accomplished ice dance teams in U.S. history and seven-time national champions whose careers have spanned more than a decade at the top of the sport. As they look to their fourth Olympic Games together, the married duo is skating with a depth of connection and clarity shaped by years of shared experience. In this conversation with NBC News correspondent Stephanie Gosk, Chock and Bates reflect on their partnership on and off the ice and why the chance to compete in front of fans in Milan feels especially powerful.

Link to listen: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/552-today-83954501/episode/the-road-to-milan-madison-chock-318975939/

ETA that this post with wedding photos popped up on my timeline today: https://www.instagram.com/p/DTgqIUvEvqq/

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[Sylvia]

"Last bit of training before Milan!":

Madison Chock and Evan Bates on Instagram: "Last bit of training before Milan!"

1,646 likes, 33 comments - chockbates on January 29, 2026: "Last bit of training before Milan!".

www.instagram.com

Making Olympics rings “Pasta Matadora”:

Evan Bates on Instagram: "We’re getting in the Italian spirit with our @olympics rings pasta and homemade bolognese sauce, aka “Pasta Matadora,” in honor our of Free Dance! 💃🏻🐂 @milanocortina2026 #olympics"

552 likes, 14 comments - evan_bates on January 30, 2026: "We’re getting in the Italian spirit with our @olympics rings pasta and homemade bolognese sauce, aka “Pasta Matadora,” in honor our of Free Dance! 💃🏻🐂 @milanocortina2026 #olympics".

www.instagram.com

Paid partnership with Factor Meals:

Madison Chock on Instagram: "Everything works better when we’re in sync - training, recovery, and how we fuel in between. ⛸️ @factormeals fits into our shared routine with high-protein meals that make it easy to stay on track together. #EatLikeAPro U

1,023 likes, 11 comments - madisonchock on January 27, 2026: "Everything works better when we’re in sync - training, recovery, and how we fuel in between. ⛸️ @factormeals fits into our shared routine with high-protein meals that make it easy to stay on track together. #EatLikeAPro Use our code...

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

Madi is one of the narrators in this Polo Ralph Lauren video (Jan. 29, 2026): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbEL_3-6zLM

Let the games begin. A striking ice installation by five World Ice Art Champions honors American athletic excellence and the spirit of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Carved from 10 metric tons of ice, the 12-foot-tall installations at Rockefeller Center and Top of the Rock feature four Team USA athletes, figure skater Madison Chock, snowboarder Red Gerard, para snowboarder Brenna Huckaby, and speed skater Erin Jackson, celebrating #MilanoCortina2026. Discover the exhibition at the Channel Gardens in Rockefeller Center in New York City January 30–31.

ETA: https://www.instagram.com/p/DULSKg0iq5w/

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[Allskate]

@Sylvia, have you seen any photos of them in Milan or are they still in the U.S.? I think I've seen photos of all the American skaters in Milan except C&B and Ilia.

 

[Karen-W]

@Sylvia, have you seen any photos of them in Milan or are they still in the U.S.? I think I've seen photos of all the American skaters in Milan except C&B and Ilia.

They had an IG story on Thursday that it was their last day of training before leaving, so I believe Madi & Evan traveled yesterday and will probably go through Team USA processing today. Neither have posted anything from Milan yet though.

No info on Ilia's whereabouts or sightings of him on anyone else's social media.

 

[ice coverage]

I saw Instastory from approx. thirty minutes ago of Chock/Bates about to enter the welcome experience.
Just the two of them by themselves.

https://www.instagram.com/stories/teamusa_ac/3822225668998800113/​

To give an idea for those who do not have access to Instastory, today's video of Chock/Bates shows them at the analogous moment to when the majority of U.S. figure skaters entered yesterday, as preserved in the X post shared by Sylvia.

Instastory below shows most of the U.S. figure skaters as they make their way to the top of the stairs together before entering Team USA welcome experience/team processing. Love their beaming smiles and the applause for them.
(I see: Naumov, Torgashev, Zingas/Kolesnik, Carreira/Ponomarenko, Chan/Howe, Kam/O'Shea, Glenn, Liu, Levito.) ...

For posterity this clip has been re-posted via this fan account of Amber's:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2017317718370766864

ETA:​

And here is video of C/B that must be from team processing in Milan.
(They're wearing same gear shown by skaters who went through yesterday, and backdrop seems right.)

Team USA on Instagram: "Get to know Chock and Bates 🥰 #WinterOlympics"

479 likes, 5 comments - teamusa on January 31, 2026: "Get to know Chock and Bates 🥰 #WinterOlympics".

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

Getty Images (9 photos featuring Madi & Evan today, Jan. 31, at the Welcome Experience/Team Processing in Milan)

ETA link to Madi’s photos:

Madison Chock on Instagram: "Getting ready for our 4th @olympics together (Evan’s 5th!) with @teamusa in Milan 🇺🇸❣️ Still feeling just as excited as the first time and even more appreciative of everything and everyone that makes this experience so s

5,956 likes, 53 comments - madisonchock on January 31, 2026: "Getting ready for our 4th @olympics together (Evan’s 5th!) with @teamusa in Milan 🇺🇸❣️ Still feeling just as excited as the first time and even more appreciative of everything and everyone that makes this experience so special for...

www.instagram.com

ETA 2 from Team USA's Insta:

Team USA on Instagram: "Couple goals, Olympic edition ✨ #WinterOlympics"

9,585 likes, 36 comments - teamusa on February 1, 2026: "Couple goals, Olympic edition ✨ #WinterOlympics".

www.instagram.com

 

[Allskate]

It looks like Madi has another skirt for the FD:

Team USA on Instagram: "Precision is practiced. @evan_bates and @madisonchock getting their reps in as the #WinterOlympics draw closer. 🇺🇲⏳"

3,574 likes, 20 comments - teamusa on February 2, 2026: "Precision is practiced. @evan_bates and @madisonchock getting their reps in as the #WinterOlympics draw closer. 🇺🇲⏳".

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

Getty Images (29 photos from their Feb. 2nd practice)

 

[Sylvia]

An eloquent Evan Bates in the Team USA press conference earlier today (Feb. 4): https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUWEhOykRF0/
"I'm so impressed w/ the younger generation of skaters [mentioned Ilia & Amber sitting with them]... the spirit, curiosity, fearlessness... the perfect balance of handling the nerves & the stage, going out there with absolute joy & freedom."

ISU's clip of Madi & Evan working with Antonio Najarro on their FD:

ISU Figure Skating ⛸ on Instagram: "Behind every great program is a great choreographer. 🤝 In Montreal, @madisonchock and @evan_bates work with choreographer @antonionajarro to refine the finer details of their flamenco Free Dance ahead of Milano C

944 likes, 11 comments - isufigureskating on February 4, 2026: "Behind every great program is a great choreographer. 🤝 In Montreal, @madisonchock and @evan_bates work with choreographer @antonionajarro to refine the finer details of their flamenco Free Dance ahead of Milano Cortina 2026. 💃...

www.instagram.com

3 photos of Madi/Evan's Montreal rental:

Architectural Digest on Instagram: "When figure skaters Evan Bates and Madison Chock aren’t dancing on the ice, they’re dancing in their Montreal kitchen. After moving north to train, the married duo has slowly turned their rental into a home filled

6,540 likes, 20 comments - archdigest on February 3, 2026: "When figure skaters Evan Bates and Madison Chock aren’t dancing on the ice, they’re dancing in their Montreal kitchen. After moving north to train, the married duo has slowly turned their rental into a home filled with music, toy...

www.instagram.com

Scroll down for the Madi & Evan section in Architectural Digest's Feb. 2nd article on Olympians' living spaces:

A College Apartment, One Vermont Ranch, and a Childhood Bedroom: How 7 Winter Olympians Live When They’re Not Competing

For these Milano Cortina athletes, home is part locker room, part recovery zone, and the one place where they’re not wearing snow pants

www.architecturaldigest.com

 

[ice coverage]

I like how @umichmedicine posted about one of their own -- and his son.
Both very accomplished! Excerpt:

After 50 years at Michigan Medicine, Dr. Eric Bates has treated thousands of patients, trained more than 250 cardiologists and been cited in over 60,000 medical research papers.​

But the professor of internal medicine at University of Michigan is often known by another title: Evan’s dad. ...​

​

Michigan Medicine on Instagram: "HEART OF AN OLYMPIAN: After 50 years at Michigan Medicine, Dr. Eric Bates has treated thousands of patients, trained more than 250 cardiologists and been cited in over 60,000 medical research papers. But the professo

5,934 likes, 40 comments - umichmedicine on February 4, 2026: "HEART OF AN OLYMPIAN: After 50 years at Michigan Medicine, Dr. Eric Bates has treated thousands of patients, trained more than 250 cardiologists and been cited in over 60,000 medical research papers. But the professor of internal...

www.instagram.com

BTW, the post mentions that C/B " will skate on Feb. 6 and 7 in the team event and Feb. 9 and 11 in the individual competition," which would reinforce what they said in the press conference.

 

[CassAgain]

Way to go, Maddie and Evan! They handled the pressure so well—I really enjoyed their program. Go USA!

 

[Sylvia]

Today's Team Event RD kiss & cry clip:

NBC Olympics & Paralympics on Instagram: "Madison Chock and Evan Bates start off their fourth #WinterOlympics together with a SHOW-STOPPING score of 91.06. 👏"

9,370 likes, 33 comments - nbcolympics on February 6, 2026: "Madison Chock and Evan Bates start off their fourth #WinterOlympics together with a SHOW-STOPPING score of 91.06. 👏".

www.instagram.com

ISU's clip of Madi & Evan working with Antonio Najarro on their FD:

ISU Figure Skating ⛸ on Instagram: "Behind every great program is a great choreographer. 🤝 In Montreal, @madisonchock and @evan_bates work with choreographer @antonionajarro to refine the finer details of their flamenco Free Dance ahead of Milano C

944 likes, 11 comments - isufigureskating on February 4, 2026: "Behind every great program is a great choreographer. 🤝 In Montreal, @madisonchock and @evan_bates work with choreographer @antonionajarro to refine the finer details of their flamenco Free Dance ahead of Milano Cortina 2026. 💃...

www.instagram.com

I forgot to link to the ISU's full 5-min. video of C/B "Behind The Curtain": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulxw0GXna3Q