With 100 days remaining until the kickoff, preparations are in full swing in northern Italy for the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics, which are set to be the most geographically dispersed Winter Games ever held.
The Games will be centered around two main clusters: Milan, a bustling industrial hub in northern Italy, and Cortina d’Ampezzo, an upscale winter resort nestled in the Dolomites mountain range. The distance between these two locations exceeds 400 kilometers, requiring visitors to plan for a full day of travel between them.
In addition to Milan and Cortina, athletes will compete in three other mountain clusters, with the closing ceremony scheduled to take place in Verona, the largest city in the northeastern Veneto region.
While the majority of the venues will utilize existing infrastructure, some facilities are undergoing renovation or being constructed from the ground up. Here’s a detailed look at the key venues:
**MILAN**
– **San Siro Stadium:** The iconic 80,000-seat San Siro stadium in Milan will host the opening ceremony. The venue, home to AC Milan and Inter Milan soccer clubs, is slated for demolition post-Olympics.
– **Santagiulia Arena:** This new 16,000-seat arena will be the primary hockey venue, with a tight construction schedule causing a delay in a test event. However, organizers are confident it will be ready for the Games.
– **Ice Park:** Fiera Milano exhibition venue will host ice hockey matches and speed skating. The Ice Park will utilize temporary structures within the complex.
– **Ice Skating Arena:** Figure skating and short track events will be held at the Forum di Milano, a versatile facility renovated in 2017.
**CORTINA**
– **Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre:** Hosting women’s alpine skiing, this venue, known as the queen of the Dolomites, is a renowned stop on the World Cup circuit.
– **Curling Olympic Stadium:** Curling events will take place at the Olympic Ice Stadium, which served as a filming location for the James Bond film “For Your Eyes Only.”
– **Cortina Sliding Centre:** This century-old venue has been rebuilt for the Games amid challenges, but recent assessments by the IOC have been positive.
**BORMIO**
– Men’s alpine skiing and ski mountaineering events will be held at the Stelvio course in Bormio, a challenging circuit on the World Cup calendar.
**LIVIGNO**
– Snowboarding and freestyle skiing competitions will take place at Livigno Snow Park and Livigno Aerials and Moguls Park, attracting a younger audience.
**PREDAZZO**
– Predazzo will host ski jumping events, boasting a well-equipped facility in a picturesque setting in the Dolomites.
**TESERO**
– Cross-country skiing events will be held in Tesero, with a stadium that has hosted previous world championships.
**ANTERSELVA**
– Biathlon competitions will unfold in Anterselva, a town with a rich biathlon legacy and cultural ties to the German language.
**VERONA**
– The grand finale will be the closing ceremony at the historic Verona Arena, a Roman amphitheater with a rich heritage in opera performances.
As the countdown continues, excitement mounts for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, promising a diverse and memorable sporting spectacle across multiple stunning locations in Italy.
