The Stelvio track is transformed before the Games – Sport & Society

In the spotlight this month during the annual stage of the Alpine Ski World Cup, the Stelvio slope in Bormio (Italy) has begun its transformation with a view to offering greater safety and comfort in view of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games, both for the athletes and the spectators.

A the approach to the organization of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milan-Cortina 2026, the Italian authorities and the Società Infrastrutture Milano Cortina 2026 SpA (SIMICO) are engaged in a race against time to upgrade existing installations and sites or to develop future works.

Among the sites concerned, the Stelvio slope represents an important part of the general effort, knowing that the setting of Bormio (Lombardy) will in 2026 be the scene of all men's alpine ski competitions.

Also, SIMICO took advantage of the recent holding of the annual World Cup stage of the International Ski Federation (FIS) to take stock of the progress of the projects which had started before the organization of the world event and which will continue at the end of the winter season.

As noted by Fabio Massimo Saldini, Government Commissioner in charge of monitoring construction sites within SIMICO:

In view of the FIS World Cup phase and the 2026 Games, we have completed, according to the planned schedule, the widening of the track and the safety elements of the Stelvio track for an investment of approximately 11 million dollars, with obtaining FIS approval.

Regarding security, as with all other Olympic works, our commitment is maximum.

Concretely, the work carried out to date has notably enabled the installation of new type A protective nets – fixed installation nets in high-strength polyethylene in red or blue color – or type B depending on the sectors of the track and the dangerousness of the latter.

The modernization of the lighting system will be undertaken during the year 2025, as will the installation of a new system for the production of artificial snow between 48 to 100 hours. The projects which will be carried out from mid-January 2025 will therefore constitute a budget of more than 20 million euros.

In addition to the work carried out and to be carried out under the aegis of SIMICO, other adjustments have been made to improve the overall framework of the Stelvio with a view to the 2026 Games.

This will result in particular in the construction of a new stadium in place of the stands and annex buildings, for greater comfort and better functionality of internal equipment, particularly for journalists and judges.

As summarized by Massimo Sertori, Regional Councilor of Lombardy:

Thanks to the considerable efforts made by SIMICO, we will provide an even safer Stelvio track for the 2026 Olympic Games, with a new snowmaking system, new stands, a new finish area and other collateral works that will improve hospitality.

[…] We are confident that we will provide the whole world with a magnificent spectacle both for the Olympic Games and for all future international events..