Canada's men's alpine ski team eyes podium success at the 2026 Winter Olympics downhill in Bormio, Italy, where conditions may differ from past World Cup races. Athletes like Cam Alexander and Jack Crawford highlight the course's challenges but express optimism for February's potentially kinder weather. The event marks the first alpine medals of the Games.
The Stelvio slope in Bormio, host of the men's Olympic downhill for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games, features a demanding 1,010-metre vertical drop with speeds reaching 100 kilometres per hour. As a regular World Cup venue, it has seen Canadian success in December downhills, but athletes anticipate changes in February.
Cam Alexander, who finished third in Bormio's last two downhills, described the track as "scary" and "intimidating." "Bormio is just consistently scary the whole way down," he said. "It's dark, and it's bumpy. It's intense." His teammate Brodie Seger noted it "fries your legs by the bottom."
Jack Crawford, a bronze medallist in alpine combined at Beijing 2022 and silver winner in a 2022 Bormio downhill, called the course "super dark, icy, gnarly." However, he added, "In February, it might look a little bit different. There might be a little more sun."
Only two Canadians have medalled in Olympic men's downhill: Steve Podborski with bronze in 1980 and Edi Podivinsky in 1994. Coach John Kucera, a former world champion, believes the team has the depth for success. "Bormio is a different hill in February," he said. "It should be less of an intimidating track."
Seger placed third in the downhill leg of alpine combined in Beijing before finishing ninth overall and is recovering from a 2023 knee injury. Jeff Read, son of legendary skier Ken Read, has achieved top-10 results in downhill and super-G since 2022. Alexander, despite multiple knee injuries, remains a podium contender, including bronze in the 2023 world downhill.
Training begins Wednesday, with the race on Saturday, February 7, 2026, followed by super-G on February 11.
