Alpine skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics was held from February 7 to February 18, 2026, across two primary locations in Northern Italy. The men’s competitions were staged at the legendary Stelvio course in Bormio, while the women’s events took place at the historic Olimpia delle Tofane in Cortina d’Ampezzo. A total of 10 events were contested, featuring the Olympic debut of the Team Combined format, which replaced the traditional individual Alpine Combined. Switzerland emerged as the dominant force in the discipline, securing a total of 9 medals, including 4 golds.
This guide provides a comprehensive breakdown of the 2026 alpine skiing program, from specific event schedules and venue technical data to final podium results. You will find practical travel information for the Lombardy and Veneto regions, ticket pricing archives, and a deep dive into the athletes who defined the Milano Cortina Games. Whether you are reviewing the “Return to the Alps” for historical records or planning for future winter sports travel, this resource offers authoritative insight into the peak of alpine competition.
2026 Competition Venues
The 2026 Games returned alpine skiing to its traditional roots by utilizing two of the most iconic stops on the World Cup circuit. Splitting the men’s and women’s events allowed for specialized course preparation on terrain specifically suited to each discipline’s speed and technical requirements.
Stelvio Course in Bormio
The Stelvio slope in Bormio hosted all five men’s alpine events, renowned as one of the most physically demanding courses in the world. With a maximum gradient of 63% and a vertical drop of over 1,000 meters, it favored power skiers and specialists in high-speed endurance.
Olimpia delle Tofane
Women’s events were held at the Olimpia delle Tofane in Cortina d’Ampezzo, a venue famous for its scenic beauty and technical “Tofane Schuss” section. The course is a staple of the women’s World Cup, offering a mix of high-speed gliding sections and tight, technical turns near the finish area.
Event Schedule and Results
The 11-day alpine program was strategically organized to alternate between speed and technical disciplines, culminating in the high-stakes Slalom events. The 2026 schedule was notable for its consistent morning start times to ensure optimal snow conditions.
Men’s Medal Table
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| Downhill | Franjo von Allmen (SUI) | Giovanni Franzoni (ITA) | Dominik Paris (ITA) |
| Super-G | Franjo von Allmen (SUI) | Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA) | Marco Odermatt (SUI) |
| Giant Slalom | Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA) | Marco Odermatt (SUI) | Loïc Meillard (SUI) |
| Slalom | Loïc Meillard (SUI) | Fabio Gstrein (AUT) | Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) |
| Team Combined | Switzerland | Austria | Not Awarded |
Women’s Medal Table
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| Downhill | Breezy Johnson (USA) | Emma Aicher (GER) | Sofia Goggia (ITA) |
| Super-G | Federica Brignone (ITA) | Romane Miradoli (FRA) | Cornelia Hütter (AUT) |
| Giant Slalom | Federica Brignone (ITA) | Sara Hector (SWE) / Thea Louise Stjernesund (NOR) | Not Awarded |
| Slalom | Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) | Camille Rast (SUI) | Anna Swenn-Larsson (SWE) |
| Team Combined | Austria | Germany | United States |
The New Team Combined Format
A major shift for 2026 was the replacement of the individual Alpine Combined with the Team Combined. This event paired two athletes from the same nation—one speed specialist for the Downhill run and one technical specialist for the Slalom run—with their times added together for a cumulative total.
Switzerland and Austria dominated the inaugural versions of this event, showcasing the depth of their national programs. The format was praised for increasing strategic collaboration between speed and tech teams, though it led to fewer individual medal opportunities for multi-disciplinary “all-rounders.”
Practical Information and Planning
The 2026 Winter Olympics were spread across a vast geographic area in Northern Italy, requiring careful logistics for spectators moving between the Bormio (Lombardy) and Cortina (Veneto) clusters.
Transport and Access
- Bormio (Men’s Cluster): Most visitors accessed Bormio via Milan, utilizing the train to Tirano followed by dedicated Olympic shuttle buses.
- Cortina (Women’s Cluster): Access was primarily through Venice or Treviso airports, with the “Cortina Express” and Olympic lanes providing transit to the mountain village.
- On-Site Mobility: Within the venues, spectators relied on cable cars and walking paths. Accessibility was a priority, but the mountain terrain required sturdy winter footwear.
Ticket Prices and Logistics
- Olympic Tickets: Prices for alpine skiing sessions started at €30 for standing areas and reached over €500 for finish-line grandstand seating during marquee events like the Downhill.
- Hospitality: Premium “Casa Italia” and private hospitality packages were available, often bundled with transport from Milan or Venice.
- Booking: All tickets were digital-only, managed through the official Milano Cortina 2026 ticketing app to prevent counterfeiting.
Events in 2026
At the 2026 Winter Olympics, alpine skiing will offer 11 medal events: five men’s races, five women’s races, and one mixed‑team parallel event. The individual disciplines are downhill, Super‑G, giant slalom, slalom, and the combined, with each contested for both men and women, meaning 10 solo‑athlete medals across the two genders. The 11th event is the mixed‑team parallel, where countries enter a small team of skiers to race in a head‑to‑head knockout format, adding a fresh, sociable angle to the traditional Olympic alpine programme.
The exact sequence of events in 2026 will follow the standard Olympic pattern of starting with the speed events towards the beginning of the Games, then moving into the technical races in the middle, with the combined and mixed‑team parallel often scheduled later to maximise TV audiences. Typical scheduling sees the downhill contested early in the second week, followed by Super‑G, then the giant slalom and slalom, with the combined and mixed‑team parallel appearing in the final stretch of the Olympic schedule. Races usually last from the morning through the early afternoon depending on daylight and broadcast windows, with medal ceremonies held either later the same day or the next day.
Downhill discipline
The downhill is the fastest discipline in alpine skiing and the one most associated with danger, speed, and spectacular falls or heroic runs. At the 2026 Winter Olympics, competitors will race one timed run per gender, with the fastest time winning the medal, and the course will be set on a steep, long mountain face with a mix of straight sections and sweeping turns that demand split‑second commitment. Skiers reach the highest speeds of any Olympic alpine event, often exceeding 130 km/h on the steepest pitches, and must balance aerodynamics, body position, and line‑picking to avoid losing fractions of a second in the turns.
Olympic downhill courses in 2026 are expected to be laid out on existing World‑Cup and historic downhill runs in the Cortina area, with safety nets, nets, and medical stations placed along the entire route to protect skiers. The event usually attracts a blend of veteran downhill specialists and younger skiers who have built their careers around speed, and it is often the first‑or‑second alpine medal of the Games, giving it outsized symbolic weight. Races are tightly bunched in the rankings, with podium places often separated by tenths of seconds, which makes the downhill one of the most nerve‑wracking and exciting events for fans.
Super‑G (Super‑Giant Slalom)
Super‑G, or Super‑Giant Slalom, sits between the downhill and the giant slalom in terms of speed and technicality. At the 2026 Winter Olympics, athletes complete a single run per gender, with results based on the fastest time, similar to the downhill, but the course is shorter and more technical, featuring more turns and tighter gates. Speeds are still very high—often in the 100–120 km/h range—so skiers must combine the commitment of a downhill specialist with the precision of a technical racer.
Super‑G courses at the 2026 Games will be designed to emphasise terrain‑reading and early‑edge‑set, with athletes needing to commit to fast lines while still cleanly picking up all gates. The discipline often suits versatile skiers who can handle both speed and technical demands, so many strong contenders in Super‑G are also competitive in the downhill and at least one of the technical events. Because Super‑G is run in a single run, conditions can vary between early and late starters, which adds a layer of strategy and luck around snow softening or hardening as the day progresses.
Giant slalom
Giant slalom is a technical discipline that focuses on strong, wide‑radius turns and consistent line‑picking through a series of gates set farther apart than in slalom. At the 2026 Winter Olympics, each skier completes two runs per gender, with the combined time from both runs determining the final standings, a format that rewards consistency and the ability to avoid mistakes over repeated attempts. The course is shorter and less steep than downhill or Super‑G tracks, but the turns are sharper and more frequent, demanding excellent balance, ski‑edge control, and core strength.
Giant‑slalom racing at the 2026 Games will likely be held on the same resort‑style pistes that host World‑Cup giant slalom events, with the track laid out on mid‑mountain slopes that can be groomed to firm, icy conditions. The discipline favours technically polished skiers who can carry speed through the turns without losing control, and it often produces tighter margins than the speed events, with several racers separated by mere hundredths of a second. Because of the two‑run format, giant slalom can also lead to dramatic comebacks or heartbreak if a skier who leads after the first run falters in the second.
Slalom discipline
Slalom is the most technical alpine event at the Olympics, characterised by closely spaced gates and rapid, tight turns that require extreme agility and quick‑reaction timing. In 2026, men’s and women’s slalom will also be run over two runs, with the total time deciding the medals, similar to giant slalom, but the gates are much closer together and the turns are sharper, often involving quick changes in direction and rapid weight‑shifting. The discipline is physically demanding, with skiers’ legs and knees bearing enormous loads over dozens of tight turns per run.
Olympic slalom courses in 2026 are expected to be set on steeper, narrower portions of the host resorts, with the track designed to test both technical mastery and mental focus under pressure. The event often favours petite, agile skiers with excellent edging and rhythm, and it can be a playground for specialists who may not be as strong in the speed events. Because of the high risk of mistakes, slalom is also one of the most unpredictable Olympic disciplines, with favourite skiers sometimes failing to finish while lesser-known names capitalize on clean, mistake‑free runs.
Alpine combined event
The alpine combined at the 2026 Winter Olympics brings together the speed of downhill with the technical precision of slalom in a single overall‑time race. Each athlete performs one downhill run and one slalom run, with the two times added together to determine the medal winners for both men and women. This event traditionally highlights the most versatile skiers in the field—those who can master both high‑speed downhill lines and the tight turns of slalom—making it a true test of all‑round alpine ability.
The combined race is often front‑loaded with the downhill segment early in the Olympic schedule, followed by the slalom a day later, which means conditions and fatigue can play a big role in how well skiers handle the transition between disciplines. Only a small number of athletes usually attempt the combine seriously, as not every downhill specialist excels in slalom and vice versa, but the event still carries prestige because of its historical roots in the sport. The 2026 combined will be particularly interesting as athletes juggle World‑Cup commitments and form peaks to arrive at the Games in their best shape for both formats.
Mixed team parallel event
The mixed‑team parallel event, introduced to the Olympics at the 2018 Games and retained in 2026, is a fan‑friendly, head‑to‑head format that adds a lighter, more cinematic feel to the alpine programme. Each nation fields a small team—typically four or five skiers—and competes in a parallel slalom‑style course where two skiers race side‑by‑side on mirrored tracks, with the first across the line winning that heat. The format is a knockout‑style tournament, with quarter‑finals, semi‑finals, and a medal round, so the stakes rise dramatically in the later stages.
At the 2026 Winter Olympics, the mixed‑team parallel will be held on a compact, highly visible slope that allows large crowds and TV cameras to capture the simultaneous action on both lanes. The event is especially popular because it is fast‑paced, easy to understand, and often produces tense photofinishes and last‑minute upsets, while still requiring solid technical skiing. Nations usually select a mix of speed and technical specialists to balance the team, which makes the medal‑table in the mixed parallel particularly competitive and unpredictable.
2026 Olympic venues
The 2026 Winter Olympics alpine skiing events will be centred in the Cortina d’Ampezzo area in the Italian Dolomites, with specific venues chosen for their existing World‑Cup runs and infrastructure. The main downhill and Super‑G races are likely to be staged on the Stelvio slopes or similarly challenging pistes that have hosted World‑Cup downhill events, while the giant slalom and slalom courses will use more technical mid‑mountain runs within the same resort framework. Additional backup venues and training areas will be available in nearby valleys and ski resorts to accommodate qualification runs and training sessions.
Cortina d’Ampezzo is a historic alpine‑skiing location, having hosted World‑Cup races and past Winter Olympics alpine events, so the 2026 venues benefit from established tracks, safety systems, and spectator‑viewing zones. The Olympic organising committee will upgrade snowmaking and grooming systems, parking, and public‑transport access to cope with the influx of spectators and media during the Games. For fans planning visits, the layout typically includes viewing areas both close to the finish line and further up the course, allowing spectators to see different sections of the run depending on ticket type and location.
Athletes and favourites
Alpine skiing at the 2026 Winter Olympics is expected to be dominated by a mix of established stars and emerging talents, with nations such as Austria, Switzerland, USA, Norway, France, Germany, and Italy all fielding strong contenders. In the downhill and Super‑G, look for top‑tier skiers known for their speed and consistency on long, technical runs, while the giant slalom, slalom, and combined will be more evenly contested among technically polished specialists. The mixed‑team parallel event adds another layer of depth, where smaller or less‑traditional alpine nations can still shine by fielding a compact, well‑coordinated team.
Favorites to watch in 2026 will include downhill specialists who have already proven themselves in World‑Cup and World‑Championship events, alongside technical skiers who have mastered the tight turns and course‑reading needed for giant slalom and slalom. Rising stars in the under‑25 bracket will aim to make their Olympic breakthroughs, and a few dark‑horse skiers may surprise the field with flawless runs under Olympic‑level pressure. Because of the two‑run formats and weather‑dependent conditions, alpine skiing at the 2026 Games is likely to produce a mix of expected podiums and genuine upsets, keeping the narrative open and emotionally charged for fans.
How medals are awarded
In Olympic alpine skiing, every medal event is decided by time, with the fastest total time per category winning the gold, the second‑fastest the silver, and the third‑fastest the bronze. For single‑run events like downhill and Super‑G, that means one timed run determines the podium, while the two‑run giant slalom and slalom sum the times from both runs, and the combined adds a downhill and a slalom time together. Ties are extremely rare, but if they occur, officials can declare joint medals or use tie‑breaking rules outlined in the official Olympic and FIS regulations.
The mixed‑team parallel event, however, is decided by a head‑to‑head knockout system, with each heat producing a winner based on who finishes first of the two skiers. The team that wins the most heats in the quarter‑finals and semi‑finals advances to the final, where the first team to win three heats claims the gold. This creates a more theatrical, bracket‑style atmosphere compared with the classic individual‑time events, but the underlying requirement—fast, clean, and mistake‑free skiing—remains the same across all disciplines.
Qualification system explained
Athletes qualify for the 2026 Winter Olympics alpine skiing events through a combination of World‑Cup and FIS‑ranking points, plus quotas set by the International Olympic Committee and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. Each nation can enter a maximum number of skiers per event, usually around four per gender, and the overall team size is capped to keep the alpine‑skiing competition manageable within the Olympic schedule. Skiers must accumulate enough points in FIS‑sanctioned races over the qualifying period to earn a spot for their country, then the national federation selects which athletes actually compete.
The qualification window typically runs in the two seasons before the Games, with specific cut‑off dates and ranking lists used to determine which athletes are eligible. World‑Cup and World‑Championship performances carry more weight, so skiers who regularly podium or finish in the top‑10 have a strong advantage in securing Olympic spots. Younger or less‑experienced skiers can still qualify if they perform well in lower‑level FIS races and national trials, especially if their country has spare quota spots. This system balances competitive fairness with the need to include a diverse range of nations in the Olympic field.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Men’s Downhill at the 2026 Olympics?
The gold medal was won by Franjo von Allmen of Switzerland, who mastered the icy conditions of the Stelvio course to edge out local favorite Giovanni Franzoni.
How many gold medals did the United States win in alpine skiing?
The U.S. Alpine Ski Team secured two gold medals in 2026: Mikaela Shiffrin in the Slalom and Breezy Johnson in the Downhill.
What was the biggest upset of the 2026 alpine skiing events?
The biggest surprise was Lucas Pinheiro Braathen winning gold in Giant Slalom for Brazil, marking a historic first-ever Winter Olympic gold medal for the nation.
Was Marco Odermatt successful in the 2026 Games?
While he didn’t secure an individual gold, Marco Odermatt earned a Silver in Giant Slalom and a Bronze in Super-G, contributing significantly to Switzerland’s overall medal tally.
Is the Team Combined a permanent Olympic event?
As of 2026, it is part of the official program. The IOC and FIS will review its television ratings and athlete feedback before confirming its place for the 2030 Winter Olympics.
What was the weather like during the 2026 alpine events?
Conditions were generally favorable, with cold, crisp temperatures in Bormio and slightly more variable, sunny conditions in Cortina, allowing almost all events to proceed without major delays.
How did Italy perform on their home snow?
Italy had a strong showing, particularly in the women’s speed and giant slalom events, finishing the alpine program with a total of 5 medals.
Who is the oldest alpine skier to win a medal in 2026?
Italy’s Federica Brignone became one of the oldest alpine medalists in history, winning gold in both the Super-G and Giant Slalom at age 35.
Where can I watch replays of the 2026 alpine skiing events?
Full event replays and highlights are available on the Olympic Channel and through official broadcast partners like NBC (USA), Eurosport (Europe), and RAI (Italy).
Final Thoughts
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina marked a historic “homecoming” for alpine skiing, returning the world’s most elite winter athletes to the traditional heart of the Italian Alps. By splitting the competition between the rugged Stelvio in Bormio and the technical Olimpia delle Tofane in Cortina, the Games provided a perfect stage for both pure speed and intricate precision. Switzerland’s tactical dominance across the speed events solidified their status as the modern powerhouse of skiing, while the passionate Italian crowds were rewarded with standout gold-medal performances from Federica Brignone and the consistent podium presence of Sofia Goggia.
The introduction of the Team Combined format proved to be a successful evolution, fostering a sense of national unity between downhillers and slalom specialists that had previously been absent in individual formats. As the Olympic flame was extinguished in Verona, the legacy of the 2026 alpine program remained etched in the snow of Lombardy and Veneto. For the athletes, it was a test of endurance and courage; for the fans, it was a celebration of mountain culture and athletic excellence that will serve as the benchmark for future Winter Games.
To Read More: Manchester Independent