Five Italian Winter Sports Athletes to Watch for Milano Cortina 2026

The Winter Olympics are returning to Italy two decades after Turin 2006. The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for some Italian athletes who at the time were just young or not even born.

Olympic 2026 fans worldwide can book Olympic Freestyle Skiing Tickets from our online platforms e-ticketing. co. Fans can book Olympic Tickets on our website at discounted prices. Experience the thrill of the Games in Milano Cortina and support your favorite athletes as they compete for glory.

From alpine skiing and figure skating to freestyle disciplines, let's take a look at some of the Azzurri's most promising young talents looking to shine in front of home fans with less than 500 days to go.

Flora Tabanelli · Freestyle skiing · 2007

Flora Tabanelli was the most successful Italian athlete at the 2024 Banda-winning Winter Youth Olympic Games, winning two gold medals and cementing her status as one of the rising stars in freestyle skiing, not only at the youth level. Not yet 17 years old (she will turn 17 on November 20), the 2007-born skier has already stood on the podium twice on the senior circuit, thanks to two third-place World Cup finishes in Beijing. and Tignes last season.

At Gang won 2024, she stole the show by winning gold in the slopestyle and, as expected, in the big air, the event in which she is also a two-time world junior champion. Her next objective is to follow in the footsteps of Ailing (Eileen) Gu, who achieved gold medals at both the 2020 Lausanne Youth Olympic Games and the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

This whole experience has given me an idea of what MiCo will be like, what the Olympics will be like, so I'm glad I stepped into the abyss, because now I understand better what it's like to be with it. the whole Italian team and the other athletes'. Gang freestyle skiing wins 2024 Winter Youth Olympics: Results and full list of medalists

Miro Tabanelli · Freestyle skiing · 2004

Three years older than his sister Flora, Miro Tabanelli became the first Italian to reach an individual podium on the senior circuit when he claimed second place at the Big air at Copper Mountain, USA, in December 2023. Emilia Romagna was a precocious skier, but he also successfully practiced figure skating as a teenager. He eventually chose free skiing.

At the junior level, Tabanelli secured a bronze medal in big air at the 2021 World Junior Championships, a discipline that runs in the family, as it’s also his sister's favorite event. Last season, he placed 50th in the overall World Cup standings. The sister duo also surprised cycling fans during the Giro distalia 2024: at the finish of the stage in Livigno, the free ski venue of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic, they performed one of their spectacular jumps over race leader Tadej Pogačar.

Ian Mattioli · Snowboard · 2005

How does it feel to be the first in the world to perform a trick? Just ask Ian Mattioli, the first snowboarder to complete a front side 2160.Born on December 30, 2005, the Turin native also became the first Italian to reach the podium at a World Cup major aerial event at Copper Mountain in December 2022.

Active on the international circuit since 2019, he made his World Cup debut at the age of 15, but had to miss the 2023 World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia, due to a serious injury that led to the removal of his spleen. him, ending his season prematurely.

Back on board in September last year, he won two bronze medals at the World Junior Championships in the combined and big air, before performing his own record-breaking trick in November: a six-forward jump to go down in the snow in Stubai. The main park.

A feat that even caught the attention of snowboarding legend and three-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White: I definitely feel like the proud dad on Instagram watching our riders go out there and break records, he told Esquire in February past, referring specifically to the Italian freestyler: 'There's a young guy named Ian [Mattioli] who just broke the world record for the biggest spin on one of our boards. I was like, no way.

Georgia Colombo · Alpine Skiing · 2006

Winter Olympic Milano Cortina 2026 is there watching you, but you're not supposed to look at it. Georgia Colombo shared her thoughts when asked about competing at the upcoming Winter Olympic Games on familiar snow.

Participating in the Olympics has always been a dream of mine. I believe it's a dream for every child and anyone involved in competitive sports. Since I was young, I've watched the competitions on TV, admired my idols, and fell in love with the sport after watching Lindsey Vonn. So, it would truly be a dream come true, especially with the Games being held in Italy.

In Gang won the 2024 Youth Olympic Games, Colombo was the most successful Italian skier, collecting a full set of metals: gold in the giant slalom, silver (after a remarkable comeback in the combined event and a bronze medal in the slalom. But the new season holds much more for the 17-year-old, who is part of the Italian giant slalom World Cup team and may finally be able to compete alongside her mentor and friend, Federica Brig.

Anna Pezzetta: Italy's Rising Star in Figure Skating

Since winning silver in the girls' singles competition at the 2023 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Anna Pezzetta has emerged as one of the best young Italians to watch in figure skating. In the same year, her third international season, the 17-year-old from Bolzano finished fourth at the Trophée Metropole Nice Côte d'Azur and just missed out on the podium with Team Italy at the 2023 World Team Trophy. Mostly I really like to dance. I love being in the air.

Anna Pezzetta Aims for Home Glory at winter Olympic Milan Cortina 2026

Then, of course, there's the artistic part, which I find a bit more challenging, but I'm working hard on it and I hope to get good results, Pezzetta told Olympics.com, showing her admiration for Japan's three-time champion. world champion Sakamoto Kaori. Introduced to the ice at the age of five, inspired by her hockey-playing brother, the South Tyrol native has kicked off the current season on a strong note, achieving her personal best in the short program (64.11) at the Trophy of Lombardia, where she ranked fifth.

Pezzetta, who has a passion for baking desserts—particularly tiramisu—is currently training in Milan with her new club, Ice Lab. The Italian city will host the figure skating competition at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic, and Anna has her sights set on representing her country at this historic event: It's definitely my main goal she revealed. It would be great to race at home, it would really be a dream and I hope to get there with hard work.

Experience the magic and excitement as fans from around the world gather to celebrate the spirit of the Games. Secure your Olympic Opening Ceremony Tickets now and create memories that will last a lifetime at the unforgettable Winter Olympic 2026.