CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — Will there be an Olympic spirit or will it seem like a bunch of individual world championships? Will a complicated transport network connecting far-flung venues run smoothly?
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Sweden's Lina Ljungblom, center right, scores her side's opening goal Thursday during a preliminary round match of women's ice hockey between Germany and Sweden at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
Lithuania's Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius skate Thursday during a practice session at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
China's Eileen Gu practices Thursday during a freestyle skiing slopestyle training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy.
United States' women's and men's team pursuit speed skaters warm up Thursday at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics take shape, in photos
APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Ice Hockey
France's men hockey players take part in a training session ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Milan Cortina Olympics Figure Skating
Ilia Malinin, of the United States, practices during a figure skating training session ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics
Athletes from France walk inside the Olympic Village ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
Milan Cortina Olympics
Vivienne Sykora, from Germany, poses with an ice sculpture of the Olympic rings at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Milan Cortina Olympics
The Olympic rings stand as snow falls at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Freestyle Skiing
Italy's Flora Tabanelli practices during a slopestyle training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Milan Cortina Olympics Alpine Skiing
Liechtenstein's Marco Pfiffner gets to the finish area, during the alpine ski, men's downhill first official training, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)
APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Speed Skating
A speed skating athlete from the U.S. warms up at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Rho, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Milan Cortina Olympics
A view shows houses and cars covered in snow ahead of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Milan Cortina Olympics Curling
Preparations for the first curling competition are made at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Milan Cortina Olympics Freestyle Skiing
Workers set up fencing along the slopestyle course before a training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Milan Cortina Olympics Alpine Skiing
Norway's Adrian Smiseth Sejersted at the finish area, during the alpine ski, men's downhill first official training, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)
APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Alpine Skiing
Canada's Jeffrey Read reacts at the finish area during the alpine ski men's downhill first official training, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)
APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Speedskating
A skater practices on the speedskating rink at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics
American artist Snoop Dogg stands on an ice resurfacer at the figure skating venue rink ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics
People walk along a main shopping street as snow falls ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Fatima Shbair)
Milan Cortina Olympics
Lights in the colors of the national flag decorate the residence of Team Italy at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Snowboard
Japan's Kokomo Murase falls during practice during a snowboard big air training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Curling
Canada's Brett Gallant, right, and Czech Republic's Vit Chabicovsky compete during a curling mixed doubles session at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics
Britain's Princess Anne, chair of the IOC member election commission, watches the IOC Climate Action Award 2025 at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Milan Cortina Olympics
People walk along a street decorated with flags from various countries ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Misper Apawu)
Milan Cortina Olympics
Houses perched on the mountain, alongside Stelvio Ski Centre, are seen past town lights in Bormio, Italy, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Milan Cortina Olympics
Colored lights decorate the residence of Team Italy at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
APTOPIX Milan Cortina Olympics Snowboard
China's Zhang Xiaonan practices during a snowboard big air training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Livigno, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

