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.

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.

The one-year countdown to the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics is on. IOC president Thomas Bach proclaimed on Thursday, “Italy is ready.” Italy has ski resorts in abundance and spectacular mountains but one pressing concern remains rebuilding the century-old sliding center in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner OMEGA has celebrated one year to go until the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 by unveiling a stunning new Countdown

Thomas Bach said Italy is ready to host next year's Winter Olympics as the one-year countdown to the sprawling Milan-Cortina Games began at an event in Italy's economic capital on Thursday. "Italy is ready to write the next chapter of its great Olympic history,

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