BORMIO, Italy (AP) — Skiers from host Italy still trying to secure starting spots led the second downhill training session at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on Thursday and Austria’s Daniel Hemetsberger crashed.

This commentary was originally published by The Conversation. Watching the Winter Olympics is an adrenaline rush as athletes fly down snow-covered ski slopes, luge tracks and over the ice at breakneck speeds and with grace.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — A total of 13 Russian athletes are now set to compete as neutral individuals at the Milan Cortina Olympics after invitations from the IOC were confirmed Tuesday for Alpine skiers and lugers.

The best athletes in the world on snow and ice get their quadrennial moment this month at the 2026 Winter Games in Italy.

Ski jumping has been pushed into the spotlight after a whistleblower uncovered a cheating scandal that involves, of all things, crotch manipulation.