Olympics, double gold for Italy in luge

The ice dancing duo Marco Fabbri and Charlène Guignard will soon be back on the ice. After the bronze medal in the team event won by the Italian team on Sunday, it is legitimate to dream of an encore. After the rhythmic dance event they are provisionally in fifth position. They will try to get on the podium with the free dance that, to the notes of the soundtrack of the film 'Diamanti', sung by Giorgia, thrilled the Assago forum last Saturday. The medal challenge in the ice dance, however, is fierce in this edition of the Games: in third place after the qualifications is the Canadian duo Gilles/Poirier, followed by the British Fear/Gibson with less than a point gap. The real fight is for gold: second in rhythmic dance is the US pair of Madison Chock and Evan Bates, gold medallists in the team competition on Sunday and world champions in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Ahead of them by just 46 hundredths were Frenchmen Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron (reigning Olympic champion with former partner Gabriella Papadakis). To confirm their first position, the French skated to the soundtrack of the film 'The Whale'. An adaptation of 'Paint it Black' by the Rolling Stones for a flamenco and paso doble inspired free skate is the American duo's choice to win the medal still missing from their necks.

GUIGNARD Charlene / FABBRI Marco gareggiano nella danza ritmica di pattinaggio artistico alle Olimpiadi invernali Milano Cortina 2026, a Milano (Italia) l'8 febbraio 2026 (Foto Claudio Furlan/LaPresse)

"It is wonderful. We didn't think anything and managed to do a perfect run. Thanks to everyone who supported us, thanks also to the piste that so many people criticised. We managed to thank them with the medal. Dedication to my parents and coaches, but above all to the whole of Italia'. So said Andrea Voetter after the gold in the women's double luge in Milan Cortina. "I was a bit nervous at the start," Marion Oberhofer told RAI. "The second downhill was wonderful, 10 stars.

There is the women's SuperG and the short track. These are the Azzurri competing tomorrow, Thursday 12 February, in Milan Cortina:

09:05 - 12:05 - Cortina Olympic Stadium Curling - Group Stage D: Italia-Switzerland Stefania Constantini, Marta Lo Deserto, Rebecca Mariani, Elena Antonia Mathis, Giulia Zardini Lacedelli

Italia was third in the overall medals table with 4 gold, 2 silver and 7 bronze medals.

Emanuel Rieder - Simon Kainzwaldner first when only the Americans are missing.

Blue podium also for the men's doubles, Emanuel Rieder - Simon Kainzwaldner first with two pairs remaining.

American Jordan Stolz won gold in the 1,000-metre speed skating event, also setting an Olympic record of 1:06.28 at the Milan Speed Skating Stadium. Silver to the Dutch Jenning de Boo, third the Chinese Zhongyan Ning. Italian Daniele di Stefano, who was in the lead for the first part of the competition, finished seventh. Twenty-sixth was the other Italian in the race, Francesco Betti.

With four pairs to go Emanuel Rieder - Simon Kainzwaldner still face the second run

Italians Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri will skate in the last group, the best group. They can aspire to the podium.

After Italy's historic victory in the women's doubles a few minutes ago, the decisive heat also began for the men's doubles. Two Italian pairs are competing. As for the women's doubles, the starting order is reversed from the placing after the first run:

Danyil Martsinovskyi - Bohdan Babura (Ucr)

Italia was fifth in the overall medals table with 3 gold, 2 silver and 7 bronze medals.

The tricolour is waving on the Eugenio Monti track. The Italian women's luge athletes were celebrated at the finish for the historic Italian women's doubles medal, the first ever considering that the speciality made its debut at the Games, the Minister for Sport and Youth Sports Andrea Abodi, the president of the Milano Cortina Foundation, Giovanni Malagò, and the president of the Italian National Olympic Committee, Luciano Buonfiglio. IOC Honorary President Thomas Bach also attended the competition.

Olimpiadi Milano Cortina 2026 - Slittino - Doppio femminile, seconda manche - Centro Slittino Cortina, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italia - 11 febbraio 2026. Andrea Voetter e Marion Oberhofer, entrambe italiane, reagiscono dopo la loro manche durante la seconda manche del doppio femminile. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

With two hours to go until the debut of the men's Italhockey against Sweden, hockey fever at the Milan Cortina 2026 Games has already conquered Milan. According to AdnKronos, 89% of the tickets for the games scheduled at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena and 87.8% for those hosted at the Palaitalia in Milano Santa Giulia have already been sold. Percentages referring to the entire duration of the Games, destined to increase further, as the sale of coupons is still ongoing. At 9.10pm, the Azzurri on the ice of the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena will face Sweden, no pushover, in the first match of Group B of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Yesterday's day was dedicated to the final finishing touches: an hour of training on the ice of the Milan facility for the team led by Jukka Jalonen, then the classic morning skate tomorrow morning before focusing all their energies on the opening challenge. It will be the start of a fascinating and tough journey, which will continue on Friday 13 February against Slovakia and Saturday 14 against Finland, with the aim of gaining access to the playoffs on 17 February, the gateway to the quarter-finals. Twenty years after their last Olympic appearance in Turin 2006, Italia returns to the most important stage, in front of their own public, with the awareness of having nothing to lose. Leading the group will once again be Thomas Larkin. The Azzurri captain, in his fourth season with the 'C' on his chest, recounted the anticipation and emotions of the eve: "We have been waiting for this moment for almost seven years. Being here, playing at home, after having experienced such strong emotions as the Opening Ceremony at San Siro, is something special. Debuting against Sweden will be even more so, with so many fans ready to support us".

Third leg surgery for American ski champion Lindsay Vonn who suffered multiple fractures in one leg after a disastrous fall while competing at the Olympics in Milan Cortina. It was she herself from her social pages who informed about her condition, posting a photo showing her in bed in hospital where she received many bouquets of flowers. 'I had my third surgery today and it was a success. Success today has a completely different meaning than a few days ago,' the ski champion wrote, 'I am making progress and even if it is slow I know I will be OK. Von then thanked "all the incredible medical staff, friends, family, who have been by my side, and all the people in the world for their support and show of love," she concluded. Finally, congratulations to my teammates and all the Team USA athletes who are out there inspiring me and giving me something to cheer about.

"We are all honoured that you are here to see us and cheer us on". These are the words Sofia Goggia addressed to the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella during their meeting this afternoon in Cortina. "There was one race before and one after Vonn," said the Head of State. "I will bring his greetings to the whole team," concluded Goggia, who is committed tomorrow in the women's super-giant slalom at the Games in Milan Cortina, one of the races that Mattarella will follow.

Italy's Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhofer, who finished first in the first run, will start last in this second run.

This is the starting order:

The air transport strikes announced for 16 February and 7 March pose a 'real danger of jeopardising freedom of movement'. With these words, in the resolution adopted at yesterday's meeting, the Strike Guarantee Commission informed the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport that these two dates are considered critical by the Authority due to the overlap with the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The Commission, in order to 'ensure a fair balance between the exercise of the right to strike and the smooth running of the Olympic event', proposed to 'reposition collective abstention in the time interval between 24 February and 4 March, which is not affected by the calendar of competitions'. The deputy prime minister and minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Matteo Salvini, agrees with what the Guarantee Commission said about the air strikes during Milan Cortina 2026, including the Paralympic Games, and said he was 'ready to formalise the request for postponement to the trade unions, with availability for a subsequent convocation at the Ministry'.

In 2025 the air transport sector experienced 19 strikes, with an average of more than 1.5 days of strike every month. This is recalled by RimborsoAlVolo, a company specialised in passenger assistance, which, after the report sent by the Commission of Guarantee on strikes to the Ministry of Transport, emphasises how "in the first three months of 2026 alone" there are "already 4 lockouts organised in the aviation sector". "To last year's 19 strikes are added the protests put in place on 9 and 31 January 2026 by trade unions, while other lockouts were called for 16 February and 7 March by airport workers and airline staff," explains RimborsoAlVolo, pointing out that these are 'lockouts that cause enormous inconvenience to passengers and generate millions of euros in damages for airlines, which, even in the event of a strike, must guarantee travellers' rights and, in some circumstances, recognise compensation of up to 600 euros per passenger in the event of cancellation or prolonged delay of the flight'. In the case of the two dates in February and March, 'the situation is aggravated by the fact that the next strikes will be held at the same time as the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games, involving a huge number of passengers who have booked flights and incurred costs to attend the sports competitions'.

"The case of Rebecca Passler? She has been pilloried and we will not replace her, also as a matter of principle'. These are the words of the President of the Italian Winter Sports Federation Flavio Roda, intercepted at Casa Italia Livigno regarding the decision 'not to decide' of Tas on the doping case involving the Italian biathlete Rebecca Passler: 'It is a case of contamination, the fact of not deciding and not entering into the merits leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. I feel sorry for the athlete, who has a future, it seems to me that she has been treated in an exaggerated manner. Those who break the rules must be punished, but in this case I stand by the athlete,' he said.

The Italian pair Rieder-Kainzwaldner finished third in the first heat. Ahead of them were the Austrians Steu-Kindl and the Americans Mueller-Haugsjaa. Three pairs within 17 thousandths of a second.

Rieder-Kainzwaldner second among the men in the men's doubles.

Also inquiring about the condition of Lindsey Caroline Vonn, the US skier who suffered a dramatic fall last Sunday, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, during his meeting in Cortina with Sofia Goggia. "How is Vonn?" the Head of State asked. "It was a gesture of courage, hers," he added.

Anticipation for the second run in the women's doubles luge. Italy's Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhofer, in the lead at the end of the first run, will fight for the first step of the podium starting at 18.53

The Austrian pair Nagler-Malleier were second behind Austrians Steu-Kindl (52"485).

The anti-terrorism section of the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating the fire that occurred last night in Abbadia Lariana, in the province of Lecco. After the investigations by the Digos and the Lecco Railway Police, the investigations on the spot are now being entrusted to the Milan Digos. They are assessing whether the same techniques were used last night to sabotage railway lines that hit the Bologna and Pesaro railway lines in recent days.

New train sabotage: it was the Lecco-Colico-Tirano line, which leads to the Valtellina valley and allows road connections to Bormio and Livigno, the venues of the Milan-Cortina Olympics, that was targeted. Last night, around 2 a.m., so when there were no trains running, unknown assailants hit the railway line near Abbadia Lariana, on the outskirts of Lecco. Seven cables of a switchboard were set on fire: 64 centimetres of them were damaged. An arson episode, according to what has been ascertained so far, although there were no consequences for railway traffic. The Railway Police and the Lecco Police Headquarters intervened.

In the women's luge doubles Olympic debut, the Italian pair of Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhofer led at the end of the first run. Behind by a few hundredths were the German and Austrian pairs.

As a guest of the Navy Officers' Club in Cortina, where he will attend some competitions of the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella met this afternoon with Italian skier Sofia Goggia. The meeting lasted about half an hour and was also attended by Coni President Luciano Buonfiglio, Deputy Head of Mission Alessio Palombi and the National Olympic Committee's Director of Communication Danilo Di Tommaso. Tomorrow, the Head of State, accompanied by his daughter Laura, will cheer on Goggia and the other Italian athletes engaged in the women's Super-G on the Olympia slope of the Tofane.

The quarter-final between the United States and Italia in the women's Olympic hockey tournament will be played at the Milan Ice Hockey Arena Santa Giulia on Friday, 13 February at 9.10pm. The Azzurri finished third in Group B qualifying with two wins and two losses. The Americans beat Olympic title holder Canada 5-0 yesterday.

Absolute debut of the women's doubles at the Winter Games with Milan Cortina 2026. eleven teams for 11 nations competing, including Italia (the second team to launch, so far leading)

The protest of Rai Sport journalists over the commentary of the opening of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games by director Paolo Petrecca ended up in the New York Times. The American newspaper in fact took up the case in a piece, reporting on several of the journalist's 'gaffes' during last Friday's event. Pointing out that Petrecca has been 'head of RAI's sports area for ten months and has been working for the state broadcaster since 2001', the newspaper states that 'opening the broadcast, which lasted three and a half hours, he called San Siro, the historic Milanese football stadium where one of the four ceremonies took place, Stadio Olimpico, which is instead the official name of the main stadium in Rome'. And it points out how, when 30-year-old actress Matilda de Angelis came on stage, the Rai Sport director initially confused her with 56-year-old US singer Mariah Carey. The newspaper also reports the words of Rai sports journalist Alessandro Antinelli, as a representative of the protesting colleagues, who 'recounted that three days before the ceremonies he had suggested to Petrecca that he hand over the commentary to a more experienced sports journalist'. 'In our editorial staff there are people who have covered 10, 8, 7, 5 Olympics,' Antinelli remarked, pointing out that the current director of Rai Sport, on the other hand, 'is not a sports journalist'.

Tomorrow sees the start of the skeleton programme at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina, and Italia will be competing on the Eugenio Monti track in Cortina with the host Mattia Gaspari and Amedeo Bagnis on the men's side, and Valentina Margaglio and Alessandra Fumagalli on the women's side. Bagnis put on a good show during these days of trials at the Cortina Sliding Center: the Italian opened the first training session with the best time, and then always remained in the top ranks, twice second behind the Briton Matt Weston and once fifth; constant placings around twelfth, thirteenth place then for Gaspari from Cortina. The two Italians preferred not to take to the track in the third official training run, which featured the last two runs. Fifth time in the first run and sixth in the fourth then for Valentina Margaglio, in a picture that saw Germany's Jacquelin Pfeifer set the best time on three occasions; in the other runs, the British Tabitha Stoecker topped the list twice and Austria's Janine Flock once. Tomorrow, Thursday 12 February, it starts with the first two downhill races of the men's challenge, at 9:30 and 11:08: in the history of skeleton, Italia has only won one medal, Nino Bibbia's gold in St. Moritz 1948.

Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych trained again with his commemorative helmet, which was banned by the IOC yesterday.

Heraskevych showed up at the Olympics with a customised helmet showing the faces of more than 20 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed during the war against invading Russia, a conflict that began shortly after the Beijing 2022 Games ended.

On skis and in the rifle, France dominated: gold for Julia Simon, silver for Lou Jeanmonnot. Bronze to Bulgarian Hristova. Out of the podium all the Italians: one mistake too many for Wierer, bad day for Vittozzi.

Jens Luraas Oftebro brings to the Norwegian cause the first Olympic gold medal in Milan Cortina 2026: seventh after the jump segment on the Hs107 in Predazzo, the Viking precedes after almost half an hour of competition (29'59″4) the Austrian Johannes Lamparter and the Finn Eero Hirvonen, respectively 1″0 and 2″5 behind and sixth and tenth in the jump. At the foot of the podium was Stefan Rettenegger in fourth, followed by the other Finn Ilkka Herola and Estonia's Kristjan Ilves, who had finished ahead of everyone in the morning jump. Valuable comeback for the Italian team that saw Samuel Costa move up nine places to finish 22nd at 2'22″6, with Aaron Kostner just behind him in 16th at 3'18 (now 27th in the morning) and Alessandro Pittin (19th, +14 places) who on the day of his 36th birthday took part in the sixth Olympic Games of his career, present from Turin 2006 onwards.

Disappointment for the Azzurri after the Olympic Super-G in Milan-Cortina. "Too bad, I left a few tenths too many in the middle section," explained Giovanni Franzoni, sixth at 0"63, "a race without obvious errors, with excellent partials but where the details didn't quite line up. - where I should perhaps have been more closed and less on the edges. I still have to grow on these details: in three out of four intermediates I was in line with Von Allmen. To be three tenths off the podium and to have lost six in one sector hurts a bit. In these conditions I knew I was not the favourite, the soft snow is not my favourite. The goal now is to try to become complete as an athlete and able to adapt to all conditions. In the meantime, however, I have to take my hat off to Von Allmen: three golds at the first Olympics is truly incredible, a week as a legend and he deserves it. He's been an inspiration to me over the last few years, I'm trying to learn from his skiing to get that fluidity that I lack a bit. That's what I'm aiming for, to improve in these conditions and then I can really play it. There is a lot of confidence and I still want to collect something in the next races.

Christof Innerhofer experienced his fifth Olympics: 'It was a great goal to be here at my fifth Olympics. However, I am not happy with my performance, I could have skied better. The snow was not my favourite, I prefer it when it is harder. Maybe I could have risked more, but I didn't fully trust myself: I am not satisfied, because I hoped to be in the top six.

The Ad Hoc Section of Tas has ruled that it 'does not have jurisdiction' to hear the appeal of biathlete Rebecca Passler (Italia) against Nado Italia Antidoping, the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), the Italian Winter Sports Federation (Fisi), the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Biathlon Union (Ibu) and the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI). The athlete filed an initial appeal to the Tas rather than to the judicial authority of Nado Italia and, consequently, has no procedural right to appeal to the Ad Hoc Section of the Tas'. This was stated by the Court of Arbitration for Sport itself. The suspension imposed on 2 February therefore remains in force. "Her provisional suspension can still be appealed to the National Anti-Doping Commission (Nadab) of Nado Italia. Ms Passler was provisionally suspended by Nado Italia on 2 February 2026 following an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for the substance Letrozole, a prohibited substance included in the Wada Prohibited Substances List (S4.1 Hormone and Metabolic Modulators). Filed on 6 February 2026, Ms Passler asked the Tas to annul the suspension for lack of malice and negligence and to allow her to participate in the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games (OWG 2026). The hearing for this procedure was held in Milan on 10 February 2026, which the Athlete attended in person,' the Tas explained.

The International Olympic Committee will talk to Ukrainian flag bearer Vladyslav Heraskevych today, IOC spokesman Mark Adams told Sky News.

The Ukrainian athlete stated yesterday that he would wear a helmet on race day, even though he was not allowed to.

Underway in Antholz-Anterselva, South Tyrol, is the women's individual biathlon competition that will award the medals. Italian women's athletes Dorothea Wierer, Michela Carrara, Lisa Vitozzi, and Hannah Auchentaller are competing.

Fisi has announced the quartet that will take part in tomorrow's women's Super-G at the Milan-Cortina Games on the Olympia delle Tofane. The Italian quartet will consist of Federica Brignone, Sofia Goggia, Laura Pirovano and Elena Curtoni.

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen won his third gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Games, winning the men's super-G. Von Allmen, who also won gold in the downhill and team combined, prevailed 0.13 seconds ahead of American Ryan Cochran-Siegle, who took silver. Favourite Marco Odermatt finished with a bronze medal, 0.28 seconds behind his teammate.

Von Allmen is the first alpine skier to win three golds at the same Olympics since Jean-Claude Killy in 1968.

Lo svizzero Franjo von Allmen sfreccia lungo la pista durante una gara di super-G maschile alle Olimpiadi invernali del 2026, a Bormio, in Italia, mercoledì 11 febbraio 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher) Associate Press/ LaPresse Solo Italia e Spagna

It's Franjo von Allmen's Games. After the gold medal in free and combined, the Swiss athlete is leading the men's Super-G in Milan Cortina after the first 20 starters. In second place the American Ryan Cochar-Siegle, third the Swiss Marco Odermatt. Azzurri off the podium. Giovanni Franzoni is currently sixth, Christof Innerhofer 11th and Mattia Casse over 15th. Unlucky Dominik Paris, who went out after a few gates due to a loose ski.

Dominik Paris did not finish the Super-G event of the Cortina Games, which was being held on the Stelvio slope. After a few gates the Italian's skis came off and he was unable to complete the race. No consequences for the South Tyrolean. Currently in the lead is the Swiss Franjo von Allmen, while Giovanni Franzoni, Olympic silver medallist on Saturday in the downhill, is off the podium. Back Christof Innerhofer.

Infrastructures and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini "agrees with what the Commissione di Garanzia (Guarantee Commission) says about the air strikes during Milan Cortina 2026, including the Paralympic Games". This was underlined by the Mit, explaining in a note that the vice-premier "is ready to formalise the request for referral to the unions, with availability for a subsequent convocation at the Ministry".

Il vice primo ministro italiano Matteo Salvini (a sinistra) e Luciano Buonfiglio (a destra), presidente del Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano (CONI), assistono a una partita di curling ai Giochi Olimpici Invernali Milano Cortina 2026, a Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italia, il 9 febbraio 2026. EPA/PIERRE TEYSSOT

It will be the challenging circuit of Lake Tesero, in the cross-country skiing section, that will decide the Olympic podium in the Nordic combined that started this morning with the ski jump session in Predazzo. In the lead, in a tight time count, all the best: Estonia's Kristjan Ilves, who leads the provisional ranking, Austria's Thomas Rettenegger and Japan's Tyota Yamamoto. In 21st position the first of the Italians, Samuel Costa. The other Italian Aaron Kostner was second. At 2.27 in the lead was the moving home athlete, Alessandro Pittin, who turns 36 today - just as he did at his Olympic debut in Turin 2006 when he was just 16 - at his sixth Games. Thrilled and aware that he has given everything to this discipline, Pittin was the first Italian to win a medal in the speciality, bronze in Vancouver 2010.

Olimpiadi Milano Cortina 2026 - Combinata nordica - Alessandro Pittin dell'Italia in azione durante la prova di salto con gli sci. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq

After the downhill and the team combined, the last act of the fast alpine skiing disciplines takes place tomorrow on the Tofane Olimpia. On the piste for Italia Olympic bronze medallist Sofia Goggia, with Federica Brignone galvanised by her tenth place in the downhill. Laura Pirovano, who was sixth in the downhill on Sunday and third yesterday at the end of her team combined event, before Martina Peterlini's exit put an end to her medal dreams, will also be in the game. Pirovano, however, confirmed her feeling with the Tofane Olympia and tomorrow she will try to break the curse of a podium that has so far always eluded her. The fourth Italian will be Elena Curtoni, disappointed by her exclusion in the downhill and combined but ready to play her cards in a discipline that has given her seven podiums in the World Cup, including a victory in Cortina four years ago. This morning Brignone and Goggia trained on the giant slalom poles, also in view of Sunday's race, while Curtoni and Pirovano concentrated on the Super-G, which represents the last act of their Olympics. Tomorrow the Italian quartet, one of the most competitive in the White Circus, will ski in front of an exceptional spectator, President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella.

"In the resolution adopted at yesterday's meeting, the Strike Guarantee Commission reported to the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport the concrete danger of prejudice to freedom of movement on the occasion of the air transport mobilisations proclaimed for 16 February and 7 March". These dates were considered critical by the Authority because of the overlap with the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. In order to ensure a fair balance between the exercise of the right to strike and the smooth running of the Olympic event, the Commission proposed to reposition the collective abstentions in the time interval between 24 February and 4 March, which is not affected by the competition calendar.

This is the programme of the Milan-Cortina Olympics today, Wednesday 11 February

10:00 - Small springboard, Val di Fiemme Nordic combined - Men's small springboard - Medal races