Milano Cortina's 2026 Olympics: The Alpine Highlights

The Milano Cortina Winter Games wrapped up this past Sunday, February 22, 2026.

As we reflect on the spectacular past two weeks, we’re recapping the alpine moments in downhill, Super-G, GS, slalom that made us gasp, grin, and cheer. This year skimo (ski mountaineering) made its Olympic debut, so we’ll add our lightweight lionhearts to the highlight reel. 

The men’s downhill opened with Switzerland’s Franjo von Allmen grabbing gold in a fast, clean, and fully committed course that punished hesitation. Downhill is the purest version of “trust your line,” and this run was a masterclass in staying stacked, letting the skis run, and never getting late to the next turn.

As for the rest of us, let’s let the takeaway be that speed isn’t a point-and-pray situation. It’s a practiced combination of power, stance, timing, and letting the ski finish the job.

As if one speed title wasn’t enough, von Allmen backed it up with a gold in Super-G. Super-G is where you see the best athletes blending downhill courage with GS-style precision. There’s less margin and more tactics.

Team USA’s Breezy Johnson took women’s downhill gold, delivering the kind of run that feels inevitable once you see it. Johnson took control in her classic powerful, direct, and confident style. Italy’s Sofia Goggia added another downhill Olympic podium with bronze.

Downhill rewards skiers who stay calm when terrain gets loud. If you’ve ever loved that “locked-in but not dead” feel on edge, you get why these wins were so satisfying to watch.

The pressure to perform at home is real. Italy’s Federica Brignone answered it with Super-G gold, then backed it up with giant slalom gold a few days later. Winning one Olympic race is a career-maker. Winning two in technical/speed crossover disciplines, at home, is legendary.

The men’s GS delivered one of the Games’ coolest storylines: Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won gold for Brazil, becoming the first athlete to win a Winter Olympic medal for South America in giant slalom, all while beating a field stacked with giants. Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt took silver, and Loïc Meillard earned bronze.

Simply put, GS is a lesson in discipline. It requires edge control, pressure management, and commitment, all put together to make that addictive, smooth carving feel. 

If you only watched one technical highlight, we hope it was Mikaela Shiffrin’s win in the women’s slalom. The gold medal marked her first Olympic medal in eight years, a feat she accomplished with her signature mix of patience and intensity.

The men finished with a chaotic, dramatic slalom as Loïc Meillard took gold in conditions that demanded equal parts aggression and self-control.

As always, slalom is a reminder that quick doesn’t mean rushed. The best turns look almost boring; they’re early, clean, and efficient.

Ski mountaineering finally arrived on the Olympic stage in exactly the fashion you’d expect from the endurance sport, featuring high intensity and a masterclass in efficiency. 

• In the women’s sprint, Switzerland’s Marianne Fatton became the first Olympic champion in SkiMo, edging out France’s Emily Harrop.
  
  

• In the men’s sprint, Spain’s Oriol Cardona Coll won gold.
  
  

In the inaugural mixed relay, France’s Emily Harrop and Thibault Anselmet took gold.

Across every discipline, one theme kept repeating: The fastest skiers weren’t the wildest, they were the cleanest. The athletes podiuming were early to the edge and raced with a quiet upper body. They applied pressure when it counted and didn’t shy away from speed. 

And while freeride isn’t on the Olympic program (yet), that level of energy showed up anyway, especially in how much these courses rewarded athletes who could stay loose, adapt instantly, and commit to imperfect snow. If you’re a skier who lives for the off-piste days, the Olympics still delivered plenty of that big-mountain brain, just inside race lanes.

Renoun Skis Reviews team has over a decade of ski design and manufacturing experience, and decades of combined ski-industry experience ranging from certified PSIA ski instructors to shop technicians, racers, and coaches. We also have a deep passion for and love of all things skiing. The team utilizes this experience to provide unparalleled reviews that dive deep to help guide your purchase for just about any ski-related item and help inform you of any ski-focused tips and tricks about maintenance, on-hill performance, and even the best places to enjoy your Après-Ski. Through written and video content, the Renoun Skis Reviews team is here to help inform you on all things ski-related.

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