What makes it shine are the behind-the-scenes moments throughout this five-part series. Without getting lost in technical detail or overselling the sport, it leans into what ski racing actually is: long travel days, fragile confidence, and moments where everything - a season, a career - comes down to a few seconds between gates.
The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics may be winding down, but the memories will linger for years to come. The competition began on Wednesday, February 4, with the official opening ceremony on Friday, February 6. A little more than two weeks later, the Games will conclude with an epic closing ceremony on Sunday, February 22. So much action was packed into the event that it was a full-time job keeping up.
ICYMI: The 2026 Winter Olympics are currently underway in Milano Cortina. From the "Quad God" to all the athletes winning gold, there has been a ton of buzz around this year's games. And while we watch history happen, let's take a walk down memory lane and see how fan-favorite Olympians have transformed over the years: 1. To start, Michael Phelps made his first Olympic appearance at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Australia, when he was just 15 years old:
Alina Muller instantly understood the significance her bronze medal-clinching overtime goal in a 2-1 win over Sweden meant not only to girls back home in Switzerland, but in the bigger picture of women's hockey. Muller has spent the past 12 years experiencing the ups and downs, fitful starts and stops her sport has endured since first splashing on the Swiss hockey scene as a 15-year-old by scoring her nation's first bronze-medal clinching goal at the 2014 Sochi Games.
During the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milano Cortina, the crowd at San Siro stadium cheered when the US team entered during the parade of nations. When the camera cut to Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance, the jeers began. A few days prior, protesters had gathered in Milan following reports that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would be coming to the Italian city for the Games.
President Trump kicked off his Board of Peace proceedings by of course threatening to start a war, saying that he might go to war with Iran within 10-15 days, or maybe as soon as this weekend. [CNN] The monarch formerly known as Prince Andrew, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was released from police custody after being held for 11 hours, though he was arrested for sharing confidential national security information with Jeffrey Epstein rather than alleged sex crimes. [NY Times]
The Washington Capitals have officially returned to the ice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex, practicing for three straight days this week. At Wednesday's skate, the first full mandatory practice, head coach Spencer Carbery put his players through line rushes, giving a glimpse at how the Capitals could line up in their return game next week. The Capitals host the Philadelphia Flyers at Capital One Arena on February 25, their first of three games in four nights.
As soon as U.S. hockey defender Laila Edwards skates onto the Olympic ice ahead of Thursday's gold medal game against Canada, she will scan the stands for the real MVP: her 91-year-old grandmother. Their shared ritual was on display at Team USA's semifinals game on Monday night only made possible through an outpouring of donations to a GoFundMe drive, with by far the biggest individual contribution coming from NFL brother tandem and hometown allies Travis and Jason Kelce.
When Auston Matthews and William Nylander faced off in a dramatic United States vs. Sweden showdown, Leafs Nation was guaranteed mixed emotions. And after overtime settled the score, there was no shortage of them. The game itself lived up to the billing. Representing United States men's national team, Matthews played a key role in a tightly contested battle that needed extra time to produce a winner.
On an eventful afternoon/evening of hockey where three of the four quarterfinal games of the 2026 Winter Olympics men's hockey tournament went into overtime, Quinn Hughes proved to be the hero for the Americans. Hughes lit the lamp 3:27 into 3-on-3 overtime Wednesday, helping Team USA outlast Sweden, 2-1. Dylan Larkin also scored for the Americans, who suddenly found themselves on the ropes after Mika Zibanejad scored the equalizer for Sweden with just 1:31 left in regulation.
The images of Lindsey Vonn down on the snow, screaming in pain and then being airlifted off the course by helicopter after her crash at the Olympics were a stark reminder of the dangers of the downhill. So is this: Her skis didn't come off. Vonn's boots remained locked into her skis even after her pinwheeling fall at the Milan Cortina Games, pointing awkwardly in different directions as she slid to a stop in obvious agony.
"Mustard is really good for cramps," Draisaitl explained to EurosportDE in German, and translated by Google Translate. "When I get cramps, it's practically the only thing that works best for me, in my opinion. And every now and then, when I feel like I might get one, I'm a bit proactive and eat a spoonful of mustard." "So you've been doing that for a while now, and quite often," the host said. "So you'd recommend mustard to me, too?" "I probably don't get cramps as often as you do, but when I do, I reach for some mustard," Draisaitl replied.
Is there more than 100%? he asked with a laugh after backstopping the U.S. past Germany in the round-robin finale. I feel good. It's pretty hot out there. I'm sweating a lot now I have to stand around and do a bunch of (interviews), so I'm going to chill now. I guess I'm at 99% right now as we speak. But, yeah, I feel good out there.
Monday would have been a fantastic day for fishing in Jamaica. The weather was just about perfect with bright sunshine, forecasters calling for temperatures in the low-to-mid 80s, somewhat calm breezes. Under normal circumstances, Shane Pitter probably would have been on the water. He was on frozen water instead at the Milan Cortina Games. Jamaica's next chapter of bobsled history is being written, and at the forefront of the story is the 26-year-old Pitter
OlympicsIn what was some of the most thrilling action at Livigno this week, the men battled it out for Olympic glory in the inaugural dual moguls on Sunday, February 15. Taking home the gold medal was Mikäel Kingsbury-dubbed "the King"-making it his second Olympic gold after winning the men's moguls in 2018 in PyeongChang. It is his second medal at these Olympics. Kingsbury had finished second behind Australia's Copper Wood on Thursday, February 12.
The air is sharp. The stakes are higher. The world is watching. In just 60 seconds, it is you versus the frostbitten glory of the 2026 Winter Olympics. From gravity-defying jumps to blink-and-you-miss-it sprints on ice, these sports demand nerves of steel. But can you name them before the clock runs out, or will you wipe out under pressure? Lace up. It is time to find out.
Mt. Buller in the state of Victoria is upping the stakes for Australians at the 2026 winter Olympics with a special offer. The resort announced that every time an Australian wins a medal at the games, a limited number of $100 adult 1-day-any-day midweek lift passes will be released to celebrate. Whether the medal is gold, silver, or bronze, the podium finish will release these discounted tickets during a short window.
"Take away the fact that they're all phenomenal players, number-one picks, many times it doesn't work. There has to be chemistry between the group, and those are three guys that need the puck, and there's only one puck out there. I have to admit, there was a lot of unselfishness between those guys, and that's what you want to see."
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