The International Olympic Committee has set a deadline for the end of next month for pre-certification of the Cortina track. There is a Plan B option that would require moving bobsled, luge and skeleton events all the way to Lake Placid, New York, if it isn’t finished in time.

IOC President Thomas Bach was in Italy this week for meetings in Rome and Milan, where he joined the ceremony to mark one year to go until the Olympic Winter Games Milano

By Elvira Pollina MILAN (Reuters) -Italy began the one-year countdown to the Winter Olympics on Thursday with a series of events designed to fuel enthusiasm for the Games that will be co-hosted by Milan and the Alpine town of Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Italy is counting down to the 2026 Winter Olympics co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, with significant investments to ensure readiness. Despite logistical challenges and climate concerns, organizers are confident in showcasing Italy's sportsmanship and sophistication on the global stage.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Thursday officiated the one-year countdown to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games, saying “Italy is ready.”

The president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, said on Thursday that Italy is ready to write the next chapter of its Olympic history at an event organized at Milan's Piccolo Theatre one year before the 2026 Winter Olympics are scheduled to kick off.