Key Highlights
- The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina are set to showcase unique and thrilling events.
- New disciplines like ski mountaineering (known as “skimo”) make their debut, adding excitement.
- Expectations for British athletes like Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson in figure skating remain low despite hopes.
- Spectacular opening ceremony to kick off the event with innovative fashion elements.
The 2026 Winter Olympics: A Madhouse of Thrills
Ben Clatworthy | Alice Jackson
Wednesday February 04 2026, 11.00pm GMT, The Times
New Disciplines and Unique Sports
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina are not your typical winter games. They promise to be a wild ride with new disciplines that will leave you questioning the sanity of these athletes. Ski mountaineering, or “skimo,” combines skinning up icy mountains (think climbing with grippy skis), hiking with skis on your back (boot-packing), and then skiing down in an endurance test that makes triathlon look like a breeze.
Then there’s the luge, where athletes fly down icy mountain faces at 120km/h, lying flat on their backs. The force is so intense it feels like experiencing 5G gravity—just don’t try this at home.
Aiming for Gold: British Athletes
When it comes to British hopes, you might think that Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson could make history by winning Britain’s first figure skating medal since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in 1994. But UK Sport calls such dreams “disappointing,” having axed funding after Beijing 2022 where we only managed to bring home two medals, ranking us 19th overall.
However, there’s no shortage of talent. David Ryding, known as “the Rocket,” will be a star in the slalom event. Zoe Atkin and Matt Weston are both dominating their respective disciplines—Atkin is a world champion in freestyle skiing halfpipe, and Weston holds two consecutive skeleton world titles.
Electric Atmosphere: Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony marks the beginning of the Games with an electric atmosphere. Milan will showcase its Italian design heritage through innovative fashion elements, from Ralph Lauren for Team USA to Giorgio Armani for Italy—a fitting tribute given the designer’s recent passing.
Expect to see skimo athletes making their way into the competition as well. The skeleton event is a thrilling spectacle with the likes of Shane Pitter leading Jamaica’s team in search of silverware, despite whispers of a “Cool Runnings 2.0” scenario.
Audience Engagement: Who’s Hot?
The most anticipated athletes include Eileen Gu from the US, who has three medals and Stanford degrees. She’ll be up against Zoe Atkin in the halfpipe, creating an iconic rivalry. Matt Weston, a two-time skeleton world champion, will be our best bet for gold.
Don’t miss the opening ceremony’s Vogue Italia Lycra fashion show or the thrilling downhill events.
The women’s downhill is on Sunday with the Olympia delle Tofane course, known as one of the most unpredictable piste in the world, nicknamed “the Queen of Speed.”
The greatest sporting event bar none is back, and you’re going to be gripped. Just don’t count our medals.
