The Italian Alps are calling. From February 6-22, 2026, the world’s finest winter athletes will descend upon northern Italy for the XXV Olympic Winter Games—and the skiing events promise to deliver some of the most electrifying moments in Olympic history.
Seventy years after Cortina d’Ampezzo hosted its first Winter Olympics in 1956, the “Queen of the Dolomites” returns to the global stage alongside Milan in what will be the most geographically spread-out Winter Games ever held. For ski enthusiasts, this means iconic venues, legendary athletes, and competitions that will define the sport for generations to come.
Alpine Skiing: Where Legends Are Made
The Venues That Define Excellence
Cortina d’Ampezzo – Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre (Women’s Events)
The legendary Olympia delle Tofane course returns to Olympic competition after hosting races during the 1956 Games. Stretching 2,560 meters with a vertical drop of 750 meters, this UNESCO World Heritage-surrounded venue has witnessed some of the greatest moments in skiing history. The course demands a perfect blend of courage and technical precision, with challenging sections like the Delta, Scarpadon, and Rumerlo separating champions from contenders.
Bormio – Stelvio Ski Centre (Men’s Events)
The Stelvio is not for the faint-hearted. At 3,230 meters long with a vertical drop of 986 meters and a maximum gradient of 63%, it ranks among the most demanding downhill courses in the world. Since becoming a permanent World Cup fixture in 1993, only true legends have conquered this beast. The notorious San Pietro jump alone sees athletes soaring over 40 meters at speeds exceeding 140 km/h.
Complete Alpine Skiing Schedule
Women’s Events (Cortina d’Ampezzo):
- February 7-8: Downhill (Training Feb 5-7, Race Feb 8)
- February 10: Team Combined
- February 12: Super-G
- February 15: Giant Slalom
- February 18: Slalom
Men’s Events (Bormio):
- February 7: Downhill
- February 9: Team Combined
- February 11: Super-G
- February 14: Giant Slalom
- February 16: Slalom
Athletes Who Will Make History
Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – The All-Time Record Holder
With over 100 World Cup victories—a milestone no skier has ever reached—Mikaela Shiffrin arrives in Italy as the most decorated alpine skier in history. The slalom and giant slalom specialist has two Olympic golds and a silver to her name, but she left Beijing 2022 empty-handed. Now 29, Shiffrin returns sharper than ever, having won four consecutive World Cup races in late 2025 following her injury recovery.
Lindsey Vonn (USA) – The Comeback Queen
The most remarkable storyline heading into Milan Cortina 2026 belongs to Lindsey Vonn. At 41 years old, with a titanium knee after revolutionary replacement surgery, she’s racing faster than women half her age. Her December 2025 victory in St. Moritz made her the oldest World Cup winner in alpine skiing history. Vonn holds 12 World Cup wins at Cortina—more than any venue—and considers it her second home. This will be her fifth and final Olympics.
Marco Odermatt (Switzerland) – The Complete Skier
The Swiss sensation dominates the men’s World Cup standings across all disciplines. Odermatt’s consistency is unmatched—in his last 15 World Cup events before the Olympics, he reached the podium 14 times. While he’s never won a World Cup downhill, his seven podium finishes suggest Olympic glory could finally arrive on the Stelvio.
Sofia Goggia (Italy) – Home Favorite
Italy’s best hope for alpine gold, Sofia Goggia returns to full fitness after fracturing her tibia and ankle in early 2024. The 2018 Olympic downhill champion is the only Italian woman to win that event at the Games. Racing in front of her compatriots on home snow adds pressure, but Goggia thrives on the biggest stages. Her battle with American and Swiss rivals in the speed events will be must-watch drama.
Federica Brignone (Italy) – Fighting Through Adversity
The 2020 World Cup overall champion and three-time Olympic medalist is racing against time itself. A fractured tibia and fibula in April 2025 threatened her Olympic dreams, but Brignone has returned to snow training and is expected to compete. Named one of Italy’s four flag-bearers for the Cortina Opening Ceremony, she embodies the resilience that defines Olympic sport.
Dominik Paris (Italy) – King of the Stelvio
No man has conquered Bormio like Dominik Paris. With six World Cup downhill victories on the Stelvio (2012, 2017, 2018, double in 2019, and 2021), plus a Super-G win in 2018, he holds the record for most wins at a single venue. The Italian powerhouse knows every undulation of this course and will carry his nation’s hopes in the speed events.
Ski Mountaineering: A Historic Olympic Debut
For the first time in Olympic history, ski mountaineering (“SkiMo”) joins the Winter Games program. This fast-growing discipline combines uphill climbing, boot-packing through obstacles, and downhill racing in an explosive test of endurance and technique.
What to Expect
Three medal events will be contested at the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio:
- Men’s Sprint (February 19)
- Women’s Sprint (February 19)
- Mixed Relay (February 21)
Athletes compete shoulder-to-shoulder through three phases: ascending with climbing skins attached to their skis, carrying skis on their backs through boot-packing sections, then clicking into race bindings for a gate-filled downhill charge to the finish.
SkiMo Athletes to Watch
Emily Harrop (France) – The dominant force in women’s SkiMo, Harrop swept every World Cup sprint event during the 2024-25 season and has won four consecutive overall World Cup titles.
Oriol Cardona Coll (Spain) – The men’s World Cup champion and reigning world champion won the Olympic test event in Bormio, making him the gold-medal favorite.
Thibault Anselmet (France) – Three consecutive overall titles establish him as a podium threat in both individual and relay events.
Cross-Country Skiing: Nordic Excellence in Val di Fiemme
The Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium in Val di Fiemme hosts all 12 cross-country events, continuing Italy’s proud Nordic tradition. With distances ranging from sprint races to the grueling 50km marathon, these competitions test the absolute limits of human endurance.
Key Dates:
- February 8: Men’s 20km Skiathlon
- February 9: Women’s 10km Skiathlon
- February 10: Sprint Finals
- February 15: Men’s Relay
- February 16: Women’s Relay
- February 22: Men’s 50km Mass Start (Final day)
Freestyle Skiing: Aerial Artistry in Livigno
The Mottolino Freestyle Centre in Livigno and Aerials Slope Livigno host the freestyle skiing events, featuring some of winter sports’ most visually spectacular disciplines.
Can’t-Miss Events:
- Moguls (Feb 7, 10): Technical bump skiing with aerial maneuvers
- Aerials (Feb 12, 13): Athletes launch off jumps performing acrobatic flips
- Big Air (Feb 10-11): Single massive jump with extreme tricks
- Slopestyle (Feb 12-15): Rail and jump combinations
- Halfpipe (Feb 17-19): The iconic U-shaped course returns
Eileen Gu (China) – The superstar who won two golds and a silver at Beijing 2022 returns despite battling injuries. At just 22, she remains the sport’s biggest draw.
Chloe Kim (USA) – The snowboard halfpipe queen recently confirmed she’s “good to go” despite a labrum tear, setting up a potential golden finale.
Why Milan Cortina 2026 Will Be Special
Return to the Alps
For the first time since Turin 2006, the Winter Olympics return to the European Alps—the birthplace of skiing. The Italian Dolomites provide a dramatic backdrop that television cameras will capture magnificently.
Historic Venues Reborn
Cortina d’Ampezzo becomes only the third city to host the Winter Olympics twice, joining St. Moritz and Innsbruck. The Olympia delle Tofane course links 2026 directly to the pioneering athletes of 1956.
Generational Athletes Competing Together
Rarely do we witness living legends like Vonn (41) competing alongside rising stars in their early twenties. This Olympic cycle brings together multiple generations of champions.
NHL Players Return
For the first time since 2014, NHL players will compete in Olympic ice hockey, bringing stars like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid to Italy.
How to Watch
The Opening Ceremony takes place February 6 at Milan’s San Siro Stadium, with live coverage available through:
- USA: NBC and Peacock streaming
- Europe: Discovery+, Eurosport, and EBU member broadcasters
- Italy: RAI
All times are Central European Time (CET), which is 6 hours ahead of Eastern Time and 9 hours ahead of Pacific Time.
The Bottom Line
Milan Cortina 2026 promises to deliver the most compelling alpine skiing competition in Olympic history. The convergence of legendary venues, generational talents, and the historic debut of ski mountaineering creates a Winter Games unlike any before.
Whether you’re watching Lindsey Vonn chase one final medal on her beloved Cortina slopes, Mikaela Shiffrin pursuing her third Olympic gold, or the explosive debut of SkiMo, these seventeen days in the Italian Alps will write new chapters in winter sports history.
The mountains are waiting. The athletes are ready. The only question is: who will become an Olympic legend?
The XXV Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 runs February 6-22, 2026. Paralympic Winter Games follow March 6-15, 2026.
