A New Era for the Winter Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympic Games, hosted in Milan Cortina, Italy, promise to be a spectacle of athletic prowess and innovation. The games, running from February 6th to February 22nd, 2026, will feature both familiar favorites and exciting new additions to the sporting program.

Ski Mountaineering Makes its Olympic Debut

For the first time, ski mountaineering will be contested at the Winter Olympics. This dynamic sport combines elements of cross-country skiing, climbing, and downhill racing. Athletes will navigate courses requiring both uphill ascents with specialized skis and on-foot hiking, before transitioning to a thrilling downhill finish.

Ski mountaineering will climb its way into competition at Milan Cortina 2026, with sprint and mixed relay events taking centerstage. nbcolympics.com

The discipline involves using adhesive skins on skis for uphill travel, quickly removing them for hiking, and then re-engaging for the descent.

Updates to Existing Events

Beyond the introduction of ski mountaineering, the 2026 Games will also see changes to existing events. Alpine skiing will feature a new “team combined” event, which debuted professionally in 2025. This event consists of two runs – a downhill and a slalom – with one athlete from each National Olympic Committee (NOC) competing in each discipline. The fastest cumulative time determines the winner.

Key Dates and Events

As the games enter their final stretch, several key events are scheduled. On February 21st, 2026, the schedule included events such as men’s curling, men’s bobsled, men’s freestyle skiing, men’s cross-country skiing, ski mountaineering, women’s curling, biathlon, and speedskating. Figure skating’s exhibition gala also took center stage, featuring performances like that of Ilia Malinin.

• February 21st Highlights: Men’s curling bronze medal final re-air (2 a.m. ET), Men’s bobsled four-man Run 1 (4 a.m. ET), Figure skating exhibition gala (2 p.m. ET).
• February 22nd: The games conclude on February 22nd.

Following the Action

Fans can follow all the action from the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on NBC and related apps. For detailed schedules, results, and news, visit the official Milano Cortina 2026 website.

Did You Know?

The last time a new discipline was introduced to the Winter Olympics was skeleton at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

FAQ

• When do the 2026 Winter Olympics start? February 6th, 2026.
• Where are the 2026 Winter Olympics being held? Milan Cortina, Italy.
• What new sport is being introduced in 2026? Ski mountaineering.