200 days to Milano-Cortina 2026: The Olympic track in Cortina d'Ampezzo – An eventful history of sliding
Cortina d'Ampezzo (FIL/July 21, 2025) In exactly 200 days, the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will begin.
The northern Italian Dolomite town of Cortina d'Ampezzo looks back on over 100 years of sledding tradition. As early as the winter of 1905/06, daring pioneers began racing down the snow-covered Dolomite road between Cortina and Pocol on simple sleds – the beginning of a long and significant history of slidingsports.
In 1923, a 1,200-meter track was built in the district of Ronco, which was ahead of its time with its innovative technology. It first gained international attention in 1928 at the Winter University World Championships. In the following decades, the track was extended several times, most recently in 1948 to 1,700 meters with 16 curves.
Cortina hosted several Bobsleigh World Championships, including in 1937, 1939, 1966, and 1981. Tragic accidents such as the deaths of Toni Pensperger (1966) and James Morgan (1981) led to extensive safety modifications and a subsequent shortening of the track to 1,300 meters.
In 2007, Cortina was once again set to host a World Championship, but had to withdraw for financial reasons. After failing to obtain skeleton homologation, the track was finally closed in 2008.
With a view to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, the tradition of the track is now being revived – a significant step towards the return of Olympic bobsleigh, luge and Skeleton to Cortina.
Eugenio Monti Olympic Bobsleigh, Luge and Skeleton Track – Cortina d'Ampezzo
The newly built Olympic ice track “Eugenio Monti” in Cortina d'Ampezzo proudly bears the name of Italy's greatest and most successful bobsledder. It honors the historic track that was in operation until 2008 and carries Cortina's Olympic heritage and winter sports tradition into the future.
Each section of the track has been carefully named with deep reference to local history, dialect, and geography:
- Stries curve: A curve from the old track that has been reinstated. “Stries” refers to an area above the track with the small lake Lago delle Stries. In the local dialect, ‘Stries’ means “witches.”
- Verzi curve: Named after the Verzi family, who donated the land for this curve when the Olympic cable car was built in 1956.
- Sento curve: The name is derived from the Ampezzo dialect word “scènto,” which means “woodpile.” It is believed that before the cable car was built, there was a meadow here for storing firewood.
- Labirinti curves (3 curves, labirinti uno, due, tre): Three closely following curves, traditionally called “labyrinths” – a name taken from the old track.
- Belvedere curve: The name means “beautiful view” – here you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Ampezzo Valley.
- Lago Bandion curve: As with the Stries curve, the name refers to a place with a small lake below the curve.
- Lino K2 curve: Dedicated to the famous mountaineer who was the first to climb K2 (8,611 m). His house is located directly behind this curve.
- Straight Antelao / Antelao curve: These sections of the track are named after Monte Antelao, which is clearly visible from here.
- Cristallo curve: Named after Monte Cristallo, which rises behind the curve and is clearly visible from there.
- Sopiazes chicane: A small chicane after the Cristallo curve with a view of the tennis courts in the village of Sopiazes.
- Tofana curve: In memory of the Tofana curve at the start of the 1956 track, with a view of the mountain range of the same name.
- Anpezo curve: Named after the view of the valley and the center of Cortina, which is called “Anpezo” in Ladin.
- Arrivo curve: The finish curve traditionally takes the name of the last curve of the old track.
The track is operated by the Bob Club Cortina a.s.d. and is located in Ronco, Cortina d'Ampezzo (BL). This modern ice track not only represents the rebirth of Cortina's Olympic heritage, but also its close connection to local culture, nature, and sporting spirit.
Further information and Olympic Tickets are available on the official Milano-Cortina 2026 website:
