Milano Cortina 2026: What competing at home means for Giacomo Bertagnolli

Italian Para alpine skier  Giacomo Bertagnolli says there are unique stories behind each of his eight Paralympic medals. He won two golds on his Paralympic debut at  PyeongChang 2018 in the giant slalom and slalom competitions, before adding two more in Beijing four years later, in the slalom again and the super combined.

Bertagnolli admits the latter is his favourite medal so far, and he is looking to add more next year, when the Paralympic Winter Games come to his home country. 

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, which take place from 6-15 March, are set to feature more than 4,000 athletes competing in six sports.

“Every medal has a unique story but the one I like the most is the first gold in Beijing,” he tells the IPC. “It was in the super combined skiing and the only medal I didn’t win in 2018. It was the first gold medal [that year] and the one missing so it was pretty special for me. From that medal onwards, I was super chill and I just focussed on the races.

“Having the Paralympic Winter Games in Italy, I really like. Cortina is pretty close to my house and my slopes. I can make a difference for me and all the people coming to watch me, my family, friends, my girlfriend, all the kids watching. It is going to be a very cool event. I want to be ready to do my best.”

Home star

Although Bertagnolli has developed into one of the stars of his sport, he says he is driven his passion for it. 

Winning gold at his home Games is a target, but his love of skiing has always been his motivation. Bertagnolli, who has a vision impairment, began competing in 2013 at the age of 14, five years before taking the Winter Games stage for the first time.

“I really like this sport; I don’t need to win to be happy. It is something I like to do even if the results don’t come all the time," the 26-year-old athlete added. “I chose a good path; I didn’t start with the mentality to win or compete, but I wanted to have fun. When you have fun, you can do whatever you want.

“My father took me on the slopes for the first time when I was three years old. I did a lot of sports in my life but alpine skiing became my job.

“I started for fun, skiing in my valley in Trentino with my friends. I liked it a lot, staying on the slopes and powdering when we had powder because in the last few years, it didn’t snow a lot. When I was a kid, I liked to have fun on the skis.

“Then when I decided to compete in the Paralympics, that was because I really liked to feel the wind on my face. Competing in the Paralympics gave me the possibility to be the best. I have one big dream, winning in Milano Cortina. That is my goal.”

Hopes for a home Games

Preparing for his third Games, Bertagnolli has reflected on his experience so far, which has helped him become more relaxed ahead of Milano Cortina 2026.

“In PyeongChang in 2018. It was a huge event for me. I remember it very well; I had no expectation, it was my first Games so I went there to have fun and compete and that was the right [attitude] to have succeeded.

“Beijing was the second Paralympics for me and I arrived there with another guide and a completely different mindset. From 2018 to 2022, I grew up a lot as a skier and an athlete. I approached it differently. I knew I wanted to do better than the first time and it wasn’t easy, but I was just thinking about races without pressure and I did well.”

Racing in front of his family and friends is fuelling his excitement, too.

“I think having the Paralympics in Italy is going to be very good for our visibility for Para sport in general.

“In the past, my parents and my friends had to wake up in the middle of the night, it was difficult. Racing in Italy, they will have more motivation to follow us and cheer us on.”

Bertagnolli wants to inspire others, particularly the next generation, both to feel confident about their disabilities and to one day become Paralympic athletes.

“I am one of the best in my category, for sure. I always have to improve myself, my skills on skis, my confidence skiing with Andrea [his guide]. This required a lot of work but I like it. If I want to win again, I have to remain competitive, so I really like to be one of the best. I can probably inspire some kids in Milan and Cortina, someone with the same disability to follow their dreams like I did.

“I think the most important thing is having huge confidence in your abilities and to try and break the world you have in front of you. The fear you can have with your disability or people that can say you will not achieve anything because you have visual problems, it isn’t true. If you trust in yourself, I think you can become a Paralympic champion.”

Winning is his aim, as always, but Bertagnolli is relaxed. Enjoyment, in Italy, is important to him.

“As an athlete, I always try to do my best on the slopes, in the gym, every day. The journey to arrive at the Paralympics is pretty tough and long. Four years is a long time to stay focussed on one goal but I think if I am going to win one medal, it would be worth it. Of course, I would like to win more than one, but I want to enjoy Milano Cortina; we are in Italy and it is going to be super fun for me.

“Italy is going to be a wonderful spot for a Paralympic Winter Games. We have good slopes, tough slopes. It is going to be funny to race there. We have delicious food, and for me, it is important to have someone cheering for me at the bottom, someone who cares about me who has helped me arrive to where I am now.”

Secure your tickets for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games  

Milano Cortina 2026, which takes place from 6-15 March 2026, is set to be the most beautiful Paralympic Winter Games yet. Ticket prices start at EUR 10 for children under 14, with approximately 89 per cent of the tickets available for EUR 35 or less.

For more information, please visit tickets.milanocortina2026.org