Winter Olympics preview: one week to go until Milano Cortina 2026

2026-01-30 - 10:35

In this newsletter: setting the scene before the final week of preparations in Italy for the Winter Games Next week the Winter Olympic Games will return to Italy for the first time in two decades. From the fashion capital of Milan to the dramatic peaks of Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Milano Cortina Games – the first to be co-hosted by two cities – will stretch across northern Italy blending world-class winter sport with a strong sense of history and ambition. Sixteen sports and more than 110 gold medals await, from the raw speed of alpine skiing and bobsleigh to the tactical endurance of biathlon and cross-country. Alpine fans will once again orbit Mikaela Shiffrin, still redefining excellence across the technical disciplines, while Team GB’s Dave Ryding will hope to deliver one last Olympic moment. Figure skating returns with its familiar blend of artistry and pressure, led by the American phenomenon Ilia Malinin, whose boundary-pushing jumps continue to reshape the sport. Speed skating and its short-track form, where Italy’s Arianna Fontana remains a dominant force, offer drama measured in hundredths of a second. Ice hockey brings physicality and heated rivalries (if you know, you know), with Canada the perennial favourites, and curling – yes, still with the brooms – will remind casual viewers, under the guidance of Team GB’s Bruce Mouat, that precision can be just as gripping as power. Continue reading...