Biathlon in Rasun-Anterselva: South Tyrol joined the Winter Games, which took place in early 2026
Image gallery: That was the 2026 Winter Games
Twenty years after Turin 2006, the Winter Games returned to Italy with an innovative concept, splitting the competitions between Milan and the Dolomites. Besides the city of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, the events took place in various locations, including Anterselva in South Tyrol, which hosted the eleven biathlon competitions from February 8 to 21, 2026.
Anterselva, with its biathlon stadium now renamed to Biathlon Arena Südtirol/Alto Adige, was a natural choice. Continuously modernised, the facility has been an international benchmark for biathlon, the sport combining cross-country skiing and shooting, since 1971. Anterselva has already hosted six Biathlon World Championships and annually hosts World Cup races.
Dorothea Wierer, the biathlete who won two consecutive overall World Cup titles (2019 and 2020) and, together with Lisa Vittozzi from Cadore, formed the spearhead of the Italian team, grew up near the Anterselva tracks and shooting range. On February 8, 2026, together with Tommaso Giacomel and Lukas Hofer, they won the silver medal as the Italian biathlon mixed relay team.
On February 21, Dorothea Wierer ended her dream career at the Olympic Games here with a 5th place finish in the mass start.
The official flame burned in South Tyrol too
Coming from Cortina, the torch arrived in the Upper Val Pusteria on January 27, 2026, and proceeded up to Mt. Plan de Corones and on to Bolzano, where a large celebration took place featuring an ice cello. This instrument was crafted from glacier water from the Val Senales.
On Wednesday, January 28, the flame was carried early in the morning on skis from Ortisei in the Val Gardena to the Sellaronda and then by skijoring into the Val di Fassa, returning to South Tyrol around midday at Lake Carezza. From there, the torch moved on to Cavalese.
The Merano area was also on the itinerary: On Thursday, January 29, the 53rd stage of the torch relay started in Merano. Shortly after midday, the torch reached Appiano, followed by Caldaro and Termeno, the last town in South Tyrol. The stage finally ended in Trento.
The torch was lit in Olympia, Greece, on November 26, 2025: At the ceremony, Armin Zöggeler, South Tyrol's former exceptional luge athlete and the first athlete this event's history to win a medal in the same discipline at six consecutive Winter Games, was the third torchbearer after Stefania Belmondo and Petros Gaidatzis.
Discover biathlon and South Tyrol
The Anterselva Valley and the Pusteria Valley boast a solid sporting tradition and extensive experience with international events: Sport and quality tourism go hand in hand here. The 2026 Games offered not just the chance to experience top-level sports competitions live, but also to discover the Val Pusteria with its ski resorts, culinary specialities and authentic Alpine culture.
Thanks to its strategic location, Cortina d'Ampezzo could easily been reached, home to one of the three official villages and location of the women's alpine skiing, bobsleigh, skeleton, luge, and curling competitions of the XXV Winter Games.
Para Winter Games
Following the Winter Games in February, the Para Winter Games will take place in Italy from March 6 to 15, 2026. This is another important sporting event, sure to tell countless stories of courage and determination.
Interesting facts
The Province of South Tyrol signed an agreement with the Department for Public Security of the Ministry of the Interior and the South Tyrolean Transport Structures Ltd (STA) at the Safety Park driving safety centre in Vadena.
A special unit of the State Police, the First Response Operational Unit - North East Department based in Lombardy, used the driving safety centre to complete several courses: The unitwas deployed at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics, a major event also in South Tyrol.
"What We Carry" is the title of an exhibition at the Museion in Bolzano, running from November 2025 to March 2026 and dedicated entirely to the official flame. The display features 43 historic and modern torches from the private collection of Stefano Podini, exploring themes such as cultural heritage, power, sustainability and the evolution of the Games' values since 1936.
