'Italian miracle' as sliding track is built in 13 months

After many setbacks, controversies and only 13 months of construction, a feat hailed as "an Italian miracle", the sliding track for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games was inaugurated on March 25.

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CORTINA D'AMPEZZO - After many setbacks, controversies and only 13 months of construction, a feat hailed as "an Italian miracle", the sliding track for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games was inaugurated on March 25.

Italy's Mattia Gaspari may not be among the gold-medal favourites in the Dolomites from Feb 6 to 22 in 2026, but the 31-year-old skeleton specialist has already made history. Gaspari, who was 14th at Beijing 2022, was the first to race down the much-discussed Cortina track as part of its pre-certification process to ensure its safety for competitors.

Until March 29, dozens of bobsleigh, luge and skeleton athletes will carry out a series of test runs over the 1,749 metres and 16 turns where speeds can hit 140kmh.

When construction work began in February 2024, late for a project of this scale and complexity, many doubted that it could be completed.

Not Matteo Salvini, the Minister of Transport.