The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics began this weekend with a blend of artistic ambition, sporting achievement and political debate that signals a compelling and unpredictable Games ahead.
EVENTS
From a multi-city opening ceremony rooted in Italian culture to thrilling athletic milestones on ice and snow, the first days of competition have already written memorable chapters.
A Ceremony Across Cities
The opening ceremony on Feb. 6 departed from tradition by spanning multiple venues and landscapes, emphasizing the geographic and cultural duality of this edition of the Games. Instead of a single stadium showcase, performances and symbolic rites were staged simultaneously in Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Livigno and Predazzo, honoring both the metropolitan and alpine identities of the host region.
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At San Siro Stadium in Milan, hundreds of athletes from around the world processed amid a vibrant program that blended music, pageantry and Italian artistic expression. International performers shared the stage with local talent, including Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and global icon Mariah Carey, who delivered emotional renditions of sentimentally charged pieces. The ceremony’s leitmotif, Armonia (“Harmony”), aimed to reflect unity through diversity, a fitting message for a Games that would unfold across cities and mountains alike.
Perhaps the most striking moment came not in the stadium, but in public squares. Two separate Olympic cauldrons were lit simultaneously, one at Arco della Pace in Milan and one at Piazza Dibona in Cortina d’Ampezzo, visually embodying the dual host nature of this Winter Olympics. Between musical performance and ceremonial torch lighting, the ceremony sought to bridge Italy’s modern cultural heartbeat with its winter-sport heritage.
Sporting Drama and Historic Feats
While the opening ceremony set the tone culturally, early competition delivered in equal measure on the sporting front.
Ilia Malinin’s Historic Backflip and Team Event Gold
One of the most talked-about moments of the weekend came from U.S. figure skater Ilia Malinin, who electrified the crowd by landing a backflip during the men’s short program in the team event qualifiers, a move absent from Olympic competition for decades until it was officially re-legalized in 2024. His successful execution earned widespread acclaim and helped bolster Team USA’s defending gold medal bid.
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Malinin also landed multiple quadruple jumps over the weekend, contributing critical points as Team USA held off Japan by a narrow margin to repeat as Olympic team event champions.
Other Early Champions and Competitive Highlights
Across disciplines, several standout performances defined the first full days of competition:
Francesca Lollobrigida became the first Italian athlete to win gold on home soil in the women’s 3,000m speed skating, setting an Olympic record and earning a celebratory reception.
In cross-country skiing, Norway’s Johannes Klaebo continued his winter dominance by clinching gold in the skiathlon, consolidating his place among the sport’s greats.
Austrian snowboard legend Benjamin Karl added to his Olympic legacy with gold in parallel giant slalom, marking his fourth Olympic medal and thrilling fans with a jubilant finish celebration.
On the alpine front, Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland claimed an unexpected gold medal in men’s downhill, underscoring the unpredictable nature of mountain racing.
The women’s downhill alpine event blended triumph and peril. Breezy Johnson brought home gold for the United States with a stunning downhill run, but the mood was sobered by the frightening crash of skiing legend Lindsey Vonn, whose fall resulted in injury and hospitalization. Officials later confirmed that Vonn was in stable condition, and the skiing community rallied around her recovery.
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Protests and Political Undercurrents
The opening weekend was also marked by heightened political energy, particularly surrounding the Games’ sponsorship structure. Environmental advocates, especially Greenpeace, targeted Italian oil company Eni for its status as a premium Olympic sponsor, arguing that the involvement of a fossil fuel entity contrasts sharply with the climate threats facing snow-dependent regions like the Alps. Protesters staged visual demonstrations and urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to move away from fossil fuel partnerships in future Games, citing climate science and ethical precedent.
What’s Ahead
As the Milano-Cortina Olympics transition into full competition mode, the schedule is packed with marquee matchups: men’s and women’s hockey, short track speed skating, ski jumping, biathlon and more will unfold over the coming days, generating fresh opportunities for history, heartbreak and heroism.
From its ambitious multi-node opening ceremony to jaw-dropping athletic milestones and a backdrop of cultural contestation, Milano-Cortina 2026 has opened as one of the most layered, exhilarating Winter Games in recent memory.
