Day 10: Week Two Begins
Day 10: Week Two Begins
The second week of Milano Cortina 2026 opens with a shift from the emotional breakthroughs of the first nine days to a gauntlet of technical finals. While the opening half was defined by historic firsts, today’s slate demands clinical execution as the world's elite enter the medal rounds of disciplines where technical mastery and psychological composure are the only things separating a podium from a DNF.
Short-track speed skating
Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA): Entering as the 1000m reigning World Champion and current Crystal Globe winner, Kristen is on a clear mission of redemption after her heartbreaking final-lap crash in Beijing. She has become the most tactically versatile skater on the world tour, possessing the rare ability to win from both the front and the back of the pack. Her skating style is characterised by incredibly deep, powerful edges that allow her to hold lines that other skaters simply can't match. If she stays on her feet, she is the clear favourite to end America’s long gold medal drought in women’s short track.
Xandra Velzeboer (NED): Fresh off her dominant gold medal performance in the 500m, where she shattered the World Record, Xandra is currently the fastest woman on the ice. While she has traditionally been viewed as a sprint specialist, her endurance has levelled up significantly this season, making her a massive threat over nine laps. Her strategy is simple but terrifying for her rivals: she likes to go to the front early and use her superior top-end speed to burn the legs out of the chasers. If she gets a clean start in the final and establishes a two-meter gap, the rest of the field will likely be fighting for silver.
Courtney Sarault (CAN): As the world number one and the overall Crystal Globe winner for the 2024/25 season, Courtney is the anchor of a Canadian team that is currently peaking.
Kim Gilli (KOR): Representing the traditional powerhouse of South Korea, Kim is the finisher of the group. She has the best late-race acceleration in the world, often looking like she’s found an extra gear when everyone else is hitting the wall. There is a slight injury concern after she took a heavy blow to the chest in the Mixed Relay earlier this week, but if she’s at 100%, she is the primary threat to a Dutch-North American lockout. She will likely sit at the back of the pack for the first six laps, but watch for her to make a massive move on the back straight as the bell rings.
Arianna Fontana (ITA): The Short Track Queen is competing in her final Olympics on home ice, and after snatching silver in the 500m, she is hunting for a record-breaking 14th Olympic medal. At 35, she no longer has the explosive burst of Velzeboer, but her experience is her greatest weapon; she knows exactly when to lean, when to bump, and how to stay out of trouble in a chaotic 1000m. The home crowd in Milan provides a massive psychological boost, and in a sport where split-second decisions result in penalties, Fontana’s composure makes her a podium threat even if she isn't the fastest woman in the field.
Hanne Desmet (BEL): Hanne is the ultimate gatecrasher who thrives on the chaos that short track is famous for. She is a gritty, physical skater who isn't afraid to fight for position on the inside, a style that earned her a bronze in this event four years ago. She has been a consistent presence in the A-Finals all through the 2025/26 World Cup season and is particularly dangerous if the pace starts slow and technical.
Prediction
Gold: Fontana
Silver: Velzeboer
Bronze: Sarault
Alpine skiing
The men's slalom will conclude the alpine events for the men in what should be a very tight contest with no clear favourite but many who could claim a medal:
Atle Lie McGrath (NOR): Mcgrath enters Bormio as the slight favourite as he is top of the World Cup standings. He reclaimed the top spot in the standings after a gutsy performance in Schladming, where he finished second, proving that his technical rhythm and ability to absorb pressure are at an all-time high. He isn't always the fastest in a straight line, but his edge work through the vertical flushes is the best in the world right now.
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA): Lucas is riding a wave of momentum after clinching Brazil's first-ever Winter gold in the Giant Slalom. He’s skiing with a level of freedom that makes him look untouchable; he takes creative, aggressive lines that defy standard technical logic. Because he’s already won these Games emotionally, he has nothing to lose in the slalom, which makes him the most dangerous man in the start gate. Expect him to put everything on the line in run one; if he builds a lead, his confidence is so high right now that he won't be caught. I'm expecting podium or DNF, no in between.
Clément Noël (FRA): The defending Olympic champion remains the gold standard for pure slalom aesthetics. When his timing is right, he generates speed from the transition in a way that looks like he’s floating. His whole career has been a bit boom or bust with fairly frequent straddles because of how his style means he keeps his feet so close to the bottom of the gates, but his peak speed remains higher than anyone else on this list.
Timon Haugan (NOR): Haugan is the most consistent of the Norwegians, but maybe his best is a step below Kristoffersen and McGrath's, a skier who has quietly spent the season racking up top-five finishes. His victory in Val d'Isère earlier this season proved he can handle deteriorating course conditions and heavy snow better than almost anyone. He is remarkably difficult to shake off the podium once he finds his groove. He’ll be relying on a clean first run to stay within striking distance, as his second runs are historically some of the fastest on the tour.
Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR): The Old Master proved he’s still a giant of the sport by snatching a win under the lights in Schladming, showing his form is peaking just in time for the Games. He knows the Stelvio better than the younger guys, and his experience in high-stakes, two-run totals is his greatest weapon. He’s no longer the fastest out of the gate, but his ability to solve complex course settings and tactical combinations is unmatched. If the second-run course setter puts in a "trick" gate sequence, Henrik is the one athlete who will likely navigate it flawlessly while the leaders panic.
Paco Rassat (FRA): The absolute wildcard of the 2026 season, Rassat has rocketed from obscurity to 6th in the World Cup standings and is one of only two men with multiple wins, in Gurgl and Adelboden. There were no flukes; he skis with a frantic, high-frequency style that is perfectly suited to modern, short-radius slalom. He represents the all-in mentality, often finishing either on the podium or in the nets, with very little interest in a safe top-ten finish. He is exactly the kind of athlete who could shock the favourites by taking a massive lead in the first run.
Loïc Meillard (SUI): Meillard is the ultimate technician, fresh off a confidence-boosting bronze in the Giant Slalom. He is perhaps the most physically strong athlete in the field, capable of muscling through ruts that would bounce smaller skiers off the line. While he’s had a few frustrating DNFs this season, his consistency in the latter half of the year suggests he’s found his set-up. If the Bormio ice gets rough and choppy for the later starters, Meillard’s power-oriented style will give him a massive advantage over the finesse skiers like Noël.
Eduard Hallberg (FIN): At just 22, Hallberg is the youngest threat in the mix. His two podiums this season show that when a slalom course hits the flat, Hallberg is superb and arguably the best in the field on these sections. He brings a raw, fearless energy to the unheralded Finnish team, often skiing with a disregard for safety that produces incredible split times until he inevitably hits a limit. He doesn't have the medal or bust pressure of his older rivals, which allows him to ski without tension. He has nothing to lose at his first Olympics, with many more to come in the future.
Manuel Feller (AUT): Feller treats every slalom run like a 50-second street fight. While he trails the World Cup leaders in points after a few unlucky races, he remains the most explosive starter in the business and can find speed in sections where there shouldn't be any. He is the ultimate rodeo skier; his technique often looks like it’s about to fall apart, yet he somehow finds the grip to stay on line. If the course is icy and direct, Feller’s aggressive edges could see him fly into the medals on one of his trademark second-run charges.
Tanguy Nef (SUI): Sitting in 10th in the World Cup standings. Tanguy arrives at the individual slalom already carrying a newly minted Olympic Gold medalist from the Team Combined earlier this week, where he was amazing. For years, he was known as the fastest man to never finish, a skier whose split times were often fastest before an inevitable straddle or error. He still struggles to tie two runs together, often being towards the top of the first run before dropping away, but he was by far the fastest man in the alpine combined, so he is dangerous.
Dave Ryding (GBR): This is a major underdog who everyone should be rooting for to get a medal, even though his best skiing is behind him. Dave is a legend, the only British skier to ever win a World Cup alpine event. He never even skied on snow until the age of 21, and now, at 39, he is at his fifth and final Olympics as he will be retiring at the end of the season. His chance of a medal may well have been in Beijing, but if all the stars align, there is a chance, even though he hasn't quite been up to his level this season, if anyone deserves a medal, Dave does.
As you can see ive named 11 people who could win and haven't even mentioned Marchant, Strasser, Vinatzer, Gstrein, Amiez, Matt, Kolega and Schwarz, who are all capable of medalling at their best this event promises to be one of the closest events at the games with about 30 skiers who will believe they have a chance to medal if things go their way.
Prediction
Gold: Feller
Silver: Noel
Bronze: McGrath
Figure skating
Freestyle skiing
Freeski Big air:
Eileen Gu (CHN): Gu returns to the Big Air final as the defending champion, having qualified in second place with high technical scores. While she has spent more time on slopestyle and halfpipe recently, her ability to land high-difficulty tricks under pressure remains her greatest asset. She secured a silver in slopestyle earlier this week, proving her form is peaking. She is one of the few women in the field with a 1620 in her arsenal, which she will likely use in the third run if the scores from Megan Oldham or Mathilde Gremaud force her hand.
Megan Oldham (CAN): Oldham enters the final as the top qualifier with a massive score of 171.75. She is currently the most technically advanced Big Air skier in the world, having been the first woman to land a triple cork in competition. After taking bronze in the slopestyle, the pressure of securing a medal is gone, likely allowing her to attempt her highest-difficulty tricks. If she lands her triple cork clean in the first two runs, she will be the mathematical favourite for gold, as her base difficulty score is higher than anyone else in the field.
Mathilde Gremaud (SUI): Fresh off defending her gold medal in the slopestyle, Gremaud qualified third for the Big Air final. Her strength lies in her consistency and style; she rarely crashes and receives high scores for her nose-butter takeoffs and long-held grabs. While she may not have the raw rotation speed of Oldham, her amplitude and landing precision are superior. She is the reigning overall Crystal Globe winner, and her ability to perform technically perfect 1260s and 1440s makes her the safest bet for a podium finish.
Kirsty Muir (GBR): After finishing a frustrating fourth in the slopestyle, Muir qualified fourth for the Big Air final with a strong double cork 1440. She has shown significant progression this season, including a World Cup win in November. Her strategy will likely involve landing two safe, high-scoring doubles to secure a podium position before attempting a higher rotation on her third jump. She has the amplitude to match the leaders, but her medal chances will depend on the cleanliness of her grabs, which have been a point of minor deduction from judges in previous rounds.
Flora Tabanelli (ITA): The 2025 World Champion is the hometown favourite but is managing a significant knee injury that forced her to skip the slopestyle event. She qualified in 6th place, skiing conservatively to ensure she made the final without further aggravating her injury. When healthy, she is one of the most technical spinners in the field, capable of high-frequency rotations with complex grabs. Her medal prospects depend entirely on her physical durability over three high-impact landings; if her knee holds up, she has the technical ceiling to challenge for the top three.
Naomi Urness (CAN): Urness is the current World Cup points leader and qualified 7th for the final. She has been the most consistent performer on the tour this season, securing three podiums in four events. She does not typically attempt the highest-difficulty tricks in the field, but her execution is almost always flawless. Her path to a medal relies on the leaders crashing while attempting 1440s or triples; if she lands two high-quality 1080 or 1260 variations, she is the most likely athlete to move up the rankings if the high-risk skiers fail to stomp their landings.
Prediction
Gold: Gu
Silver: Oldham
Bronze: Urness
Ski Jumping
The Men's Super Team event is a new Olympic format designed for higher intensity and faster pacing than the traditional four-man team event. Each nation enters a single pair of jumpers who both compete in three consecutive scored rounds on the Large Hill. The field is progressively narrowed throughout the competition: all entered teams participate in the first round, the top 12 teams advance to the second, and only the top eight remain for the final medal round. Rankings are determined by the cumulative score of all six jumps (three per athlete), meaning a single missed landing or tactical error in the early stages can mathematically eliminate a favourite before the final round begins.
Slovenia (Domen Prevc / Anže Lanišek): Slovenia enters as the favourite following Domen Prevc’s dominant individual form, having just secured Large Hill gold with a hill-record jump. Lanišek provides the necessary secondary stability; he is a consistent top-five World Cup performer who excels in the Super Team format's rapid-fire three-round structure. Their tactical advantage lies in their coaching staff's willingness to aggressively change gate heights for bonus points, a strategy that won them the Lahti Super Team event earlier this season. If Prevc maintains his current flight curve, Slovenia has the highest mathematical ceiling in the field.
Austria (Stefan Kraft / Jan Hörl): Despite a shaky start to these Games on the Normal Hill, the Austrians remain the primary threat to Slovenia on the Large Hill. Stefan Kraft is the most decorated active jumper in history and, while his individual Olympic title remains elusive, his technical consistency in team formats is unmatched. Jan Hörl has been their strongest performer in training and the early Olympic rounds, often out-jumping Kraft. Their strength is telemark landing precision; in a tight Super Team race where every style point counts, the Austrians typically gain 1.5 to 2.0 points per jump over their rivals on judges' scores alone.
Japan (Ryōyū Kobayashi / Ren Nikaidō): This pairing relies on the highest peak speed in the field. Kobayashi is a specialist in generating massive lift in the second half of his flight, while Nikaidō has been the revelation of the 2026 season, sitting 3rd in the World Cup standings and fresh off an individual Large Hill silver. Japan’s weakness has historically been wind sensitivity, but the Predazzo stadium’s sheltered profile suits their flat, aerodynamic style. They are the most likely team to challenge Slovenia for pure distance, provided Nikaidō can handle the pressure of being the anchor in the final round.
Norway (Marius Lindvik / Kristoffer Eriksen Sundal): Norway is the most balanced team in the field, rarely producing a bad jump that leads to elimination in the early rounds. Lindvik is the defending individual Large Hill champion from Beijing and thrives on the larger HS141 hill size used for the Super Team event. Sundal has emerged this season as a reliable second man, currently ranked 12th in the world. While they may lack the explosive winning potential of Prevc or Kobayashi, their high floor makes them the safest bet for a podium finish if any of the top three nations suffer a technical error.
Germany (Philipp Raimund / Andreas Wellinger): Germany’s hopes rest on Philipp Raimund, the surprise Normal Hill Olympic champion who has carried his peak form into the Large Hill events. Wellinger is the veteran presence, though his 2025/26 season has been inconsistent. The Germans have struggled with flight stability in turbulent air this season, but their performance in Willingen just before the Games suggested a late-season hardware adjustment has fixed their issues. They are wildcards who could either challenge for gold if Raimund hits another monster jump or finish outside the top five if Wellinger’s timing remains slightly off.
Poland (Kacper Tomasiak / Aleksander Zniszczoł): Poland is the underdog pick following 19-year-old Tomasiak’s incredible debut Games, where he has already secured two individual medals. Zniszczoł provides veteran experience and recently took a podium at the Ski Flying World Championships, indicating he has the power for the Large Hill. Their strategy will be to draft off Tomasiak’s momentum; if the teenager can put Poland into the top three after the first round, Zniszczoł has the composure to hold that position. They are unlikely to win on raw distance, but are the most dangerous spoiler team for the traditional powerhouses.
Prediction
Gold: Slovenia
Silver: Japan
Bronze: Norway
Bobsleigh
Laura Nolte (GER): Nolte enters the final two heats as the leader after setting a track record of 59.44 in the opening run at the Cortina Sliding Centre. As the reigning two-time World Champion and current overall World Cup leader, she has established a 0.22-second cushion over the field. Her technical advantage lies in her superior transition speed through the labyrinth section of the track, where she has consistently found cleaner lines than her rivals. While she noted minor errors in her day-one runs, her ability to maintain speed through the lower half of the course makes her the mathematical favourite for gold.
Elana Meyers Taylor (USA): Currently in second place, Meyers Taylor is the most decorated female bobsledder in history and is hunting for the one prize missing from her collection: Olympic gold. Her strength remains her explosive push-start, which was the fastest in the field during the first two heats. At 41, her experience is vital on the technical Cortina track, though she has acknowledged the need to tighten her driving lines in the final two runs to close the gap on Nolte. If she can replicate her start times and avoid late-track "clapping" against the walls, she is the primary threat to German dominance.
Kaillie Humphries (USA): The defending Olympic champion sits in third place, 0.31 seconds behind Nolte. Humphries is a specialist in four-heat marathons, often finding her best rhythm in the final two runs when track conditions become more erratic. Despite being only 18 months postpartum, her driving remains elite, particularly in the high-G turns where she carries more momentum than almost any other pilot. She is less than a tenth of a second behind her teammate Meyers Taylor, setting up a high-stakes battle for the silver and bronze positions.
Melanie Hasler (SUI): Occupying fourth place after the first day, Hasler is the only challenger to the Germans and Americans. She was one of only five athletes to break the one-minute barrier in the opening heat, proving she has the raw speed to contend for a medal. Her challenge in the final heats will be consistency; she currently sits just 0.11 seconds ahead of fifth place. If the ice hardens for the night session, her finesse-oriented driving style could allow her to leapfrog onto the podium if the front-runners make an error.
Kaysha Love (USA): The 2025 World Champion is the wildcard sitting in fifth place after a significant error in her second run cost her nearly a second. Despite the mistake, her opening heat performance proved she has the pace to match Nolte’s track record. Love is widely considered the fastest natural athlete in the field, and her all-or-nothing approach means she will likely take the most aggressive lines in the final heats to reclaim her podium spot. She remains a dangerous outsider because her ceiling is high enough to produce the fastest single-run time of the day.
Prediction
Gold: Nolte
Silver: Humphries
Bronze: Meyers Taylor
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