Exactly one year to go until the start of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi’s statement at the event held in Milan on February 6, 2025.

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Today we celebrate a milestone in our journey toward the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. We are exactly 365 days away from the start of the Games, an event that will bring the whole world to set its eyes on Italy and Cortina.

Building and working for this 2026 has been and is an extraordinary commitment. I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you, the institutions, the representatives of the Government, the Veneto Region, the IOC, the Milan Cortina 2026 Foundation and all the entities involved. The work done so far is the result of a shared commitment, a common vision and an extraordinary ability to team up.

Cortina has risen to this challenge with courage and determination. We are working toenhance our area, both in terms of sports and infrastructure. The Olympics represent a unique opportunity to renew and improve our city, and I believe Cortina has shown that it can turn challenges into opportunities for growth.

We are at thelast mile, the most important one. Those who, like me, come from the world of sports know that this is when you have to give your all. And I am convinced that this team, with its determination and sense of responsibility, will be able to make a difference.

A key point on our path is the sliding center, much discussed in the past and now finally a concrete reality. In March we will have the pre-approvals: an achievement that testifies to the ability to believe in a project and carry it through, not only for Cortina, but for the entire country system.

But it’s not just about infrastructure. I would like to emphasize the cultural and sporting importance of bobsledding for Cortina. It is no accident that our town has always wanted to keep this tradition alive. Cortina is a cradle of sports: bobsledding, skeleton, sledding, curling, skiing. We have know-how that we are putting to good use, as shown by the recent World Cup stages and Paralympic events that we have proudly hosted.

The Olympics will be the showcase to show the world not only sports excellence, but also our country’s ability to implement ambitious projects with concreteness and vision.

Today Cortina is changing. The construction sites we see are tangible signs of profound renewal: new parking lots, modernized ski lifts, infrastructure designed to meet the needs of an increasingly attentive and aware tourist demand. I know that the works may create inconvenience, but we cannot demand change and then reject its processes.

I am proud of these construction sites because they represent the future of Cortina. I would like to convey this vision to all citizens: we are building a renewed Cortina, modern, but true to its identity.

All this is possible thanks to the synergistic work between institutions, the support of the government and the region, and the contribution of an extraordinary team with whom we have shared concerns, but with whom I am sure we will share great satisfaction.

Thank you all for your commitment and dedication. Let’s move forward, together, to 2026!>>

Gianluca Lorenzi
Mayor of Cortina d’Ampezzo