Six-month Olympic countdown heightens excitement in northern Italy

The six-month countdown to the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games is underway – and the race is on to finish preparations. 

Olympic skeleton racer Mattia Gaspari is a Cortina local and says hosting the Games there is a dream come true but one that comes with immense pressure. 

"Not so many people can say I'm competing at the Olympics in my country but also in my hometown, where I've lived for 30 years," Gaspari tells CGTN.  

"It's going to be really emotional and yeah, I really need to be careful not to let the pressure get to me."

Cortina's Mayor, Gianluca Lorenzi, tells CGTN that while there have been years of disruptions due to road works and renovations, it will be worth the long-term benefits.  

"Anyone who comes to Cortina can see that we're full of construction sites – but it's logical that these sites are necessary to ensure that the town evolves for the Olympics of 2026," he says.

The biggest project is the renovation of Cortina's original Sliding Centre, at a cost of around $95 million. 

"The structure is very difficult both regarding the timeframe and the urban context," says the project's Construction Manager, Michele Titton. "We managed to build it in less than one year, in 305 days, thanks to the technology and innovation we used."  

First to test the state-of-the-art track was local boy Mattia Gaspari – and he said it was a special moment.  

"The biggest emotion was when I saw the faces of the workers there, to see we finally made it," he recalls. "That was a particular moment because there were a lot of rumors that they couldn't make it in time."

"The athletes said it's a beautiful and fast track and above all that the context is fantastic," Titton says.  

In the first phase of ticket sales for the event, 70 percent of registrations were from abroad. Organizers say it demonstrates Italy's strong international appeal.   

The Olympic torch will reach Rome on December 4 before embarking on a tour of all of Italy's regions. It will arrive in Cortina exactly 70 years after the opening ceremony of the 1956 Games and will end its journey in Milan early February, for the start of the 2026 edition. 

As the clock starts ticking, the excitement builds for another Winter Olympics sure to leave its mark – and the mayor can't contain his excitement.

"There are high expectations, but we are convinced that we're doing a good job and that it will be a wonderful Olympics," Lorenzi says.