The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are almost here, and you can already feel the best parts lining up. The kind of moments that make you yell at the TV, replay a clip three times, or suddenly learn everything about a sport you barely watched before. At the Winter Games, the margins are tiny, and the pressure is loud so that stories can change in one jump, one run, or one last shot.
This time, the backdrop is pure Italy, split between the buzz of Milan and the dramatic peaks of Cortina d’Ampezzo. One day you’re watching athletes fly down icy courses in the Alps, the next you’re in an arena where the crowd can swing an entire performance. If you want to follow along without missing what really matters, these are the storylines worth keeping on your radar.
Chloe Kim Goes For Three Straight
Chloe Kim is already a two-time Olympic champion, and in Italy, she has a chance to do something no one in her event has done before. She can become the first snowboarder to win three straight gold medals in women’s halfpipe. That alone makes her one of the biggest headliners of the Winter Olympics 2026.
The main worry is health, not skill. Kim recently dislocated her shoulder in a training fall and said she will not be able to snowboard again until right before the halfpipe competition starts on February 11 in Livigno. Less time on the board means fewer chances to sharpen timing and landings, which are everything in a high-pressure final.
Even so, she is still the favorite because her best runs are usually cleaner and more complex than everyone else’s. Analyst Todd Richards has said she could win even if she is not at 100%, which shows how high her ceiling is. The most exciting outcome would be a challenger having the run of their life, because that is when Kim tends to push the sport forward and deliver her most significant moments.
NHL Stars Return To Olympic Hockey
For the first time since 2014, NHL players are back at the Olympics, making men’s hockey feel like an actual best-on-best tournament again. The games should be faster, tighter, and more intense because the most minor mistakes get punished when the world’s top talent is on the ice.
Team USA is loaded with stars like Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, and Quinn Hughes, while Canada brings Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon. That kind of lineup turns even early games into must-watch matchups.
It also sets up the rivalry everyone wants, the United States vs Canada in the medal rounds. A recent U.S. Canada final in the 4 Nations Face Off pulled 9.3 million viewers on ESPN, and the Olympics could deliver an even bigger stage. Add in the U.S. chasing its first men’s hockey gold since 1980, and this tournament has the potential to be one of the headline events of Milano Cortina.
Lindsey Vonn Chases A Historic Last Medal
Lindsey Vonn is back at 41, and her return has turned into one of the biggest stories in alpine skiing. She has shown this season that she can still race at a high level, which is why her Olympic chances feel real instead of symbolic. With Milano Cortina approaching, every start now carries a sense that something historic could happen.
If Vonn wins an Olympic medal, she could become the oldest Alpine skier ever to do it. That is a simple, easy storyline to follow, because it comes down to one thing: putting together one clean, fearless run at the right moment. The challenge is staying healthy and handling the pressure, especially in speed events where the margin for error is tiny.
Mikaela Shiffrin Looks For A Comeback
Mikaela Shiffrin is heading toward 2026 with medals in mind, but her biggest challenge has been getting entirely comfortable again after a scary injury. She crashed in a World Cup giant slalom in November 2024 and suffered a deep puncture wound in her abdomen, an incident that shook both her body and her confidence. Since her comeback is happening in real time on the World Cup circuit, check out FanDuel Research for the latest updates.
Her comeback is also complicated by how skiing works behind the scenes. Shiffrin has explained that World Cup points affect your start number, and starting earlier can be a massive advantage because the course is cleaner and faster. She has been piling up results in slalom while still working toward peak speed again in giant slalom, which makes every GS race feel like a progress check on the road to Milan.
Why These Storylines Matter
These storylines make the 2026 Winter Olympics easier to follow, because they give you clear people and moments to watch. They add real stakes, like a comeback after a tough injury, a chance at history, or a final run at one more medal. With NHL players back, hockey becomes a main event again, and the matchups feel bigger. New events and more opportunities for women also mean more fresh faces and surprise contenders. When you track these themes, each final feels like the payoff to something larger than a single race or game.
