Recap of the 2026 Winter Olympics – Milano Cortina

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy have just wrapped up, and what an edition! Elite athletes, spectacular moments, surprising anecdotes, and historic achievements made for nearly two weeks of thrilling competition.

🎆 A Notable Opening Ceremony

In Milan, the opening ceremony blended Italian tradition with an international touch, highlighted by performances from Mariah Carey and Laura Pausini.

🥇 Norway: Queen of the Games

Norway dominated the medal table, securing 41 medals in total (18 gold, 12 silver, 11 bronze), a record for the Winter Olympics.

Among them, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo was exceptional — with six individual gold medals. On his own, he would have finished in the top 10 nations, a feat never seen before!

🇺🇸 The United States Still Strong

The U.S. finished second in the medal ranking with 33 medals (12 gold, 12 silver, 9 bronze), their best gold medal count in decades.

Highlight: The men’s ice hockey team beat Canada in the final with a golden goal in overtime, clinching their first Olympic hockey title since 1980.

🇫🇷 France: 6th Place with a Historic Record

France achieved 23 medals in total (8 gold, 9 silver, 6 bronze), their best Winter Olympics result ever.

🌟 Biathlon: The French team made history, winning all three relays — women, men, and mixed in a single Olympiad.

⛸️ Figure Skating: The French duo, formed only one year ago, took gold thanks to an unprecedented harmony and choreography never seen on the Olympic stage.

🧊 Human Moments and Fun Anecdotes

✨ Beyond the podiums, the Games offered memorable and heartwarming moments:

• 🐿️ A squirrel unexpectedly crossed a ski course, creating a comical scene.
• 🐺 A wolf-dog “surprise guest” joined a cross-country race and even crossed the finish line after two female skiers, causing laughter among spectators.

💥 Lindsey Vonn also pushed her limits, competing despite a torn ligament, but suffered a severe fall requiring multiple operations — a stark reminder of the risks at the top level.

🎆 Closing Ceremony in Verona: Opera, Modern Show, and Handover to France

The closing ceremony took place in the amazing Verona Arena, combining cultural richness and modern entertainment:
🎼 Italian opera highlighted the country’s artistic heritage,
🎶 followed by a spectacular modern show with Major Lazer.

Most importantly, it featured the official handover of the Olympic flag to France, host of the 2030 Winter Olympics, marking the start of preparations for the next edition.

🏔️ Looking Ahead: 2026 → 2030 Winter Olympics in France

The 2030 Winter Olympics will take place across various locations in the French Alps (Haute-Savoie, Savoie, Briançonnais), hosting all snow events.

Nice and the Côte d’Azur will serve as the hub for ice sports:

• The Allianz Riviera will be transformed for ice hockey, with two rinks and a seating capacity of over 30,000.
• The Palais Nikaia will host curling.
• A new 5,000-seat ice rink will be built for figure skating and short-track, designed as a permanent facility for Nice after the Games.

Additionally, a 1,500-bed Olympic Village will be repurposed into student and social housing, ensuring a lasting legacy for the city.

Nice will truly be at the heart of winter action, combining top-level ice sports with a lasting benefit for the community — a perfect blend of sport, economy, and Mediterranean lifestyle.