Italy made history at Livigno Snow Park. Simone Deromedis and Federico Tomasoni claimed gold and silver respectively, delivering an epic Italian one-two in the men’s ski cross little more than 24 hours before the conclusion of competition at the Milano Cortina 2026 Games.

It represents only the second and third Italian medals ever in an Olympic freestyle event, following Flora Tabanelli’s bronze five days ago. A double podium unprecedented in this discipline for the Italian colours, which made its Olympic debut just 16 years ago at Vancouver 2010. In a matter of minutes, the Italy Team signed off on its 28th and 29th medals (10 gold, six silver and 13 bronze) of these home Winter Games, simultaneously reaching double figures for gold medals.

Deromedis, fifth at Beijing 2022, world champion in February 2023 at the World Championships in Bakuriani, Georgia, and arriving at Milano Cortina 2026 fresh from victory on 31 January at Park Monzoni in the second World Cup race at Passo San Pellegrino, began his campaign on the snow of the Valtellina venue with the ninth-fastest time (1:07.55) in the seeding round. Tomasoni, third three years ago in the mixed team at the World Championships alongside Jole Galli and competing in his first individual Olympic final (sixth again at Bakuriani in the individual race and with a best World Cup finish of fifth in December 2023 at Arosa, Switzerland), recorded the 17th fastest time (1:08.01) in the preliminary phase.

The 25-year-old from Trentino and the 28-year-old from Bergamo then finished first and second in their respective round-of-16 heats, before producing outstanding teamwork in both the quarter-final and opening semi-final, where on both occasions Deromedis crossed the line ahead of Tomasoni, guaranteeing Italy a medal. In the big final reserved for the top four skiers, the Val di Non phenomenon produced a start to remember, immediately taking control from the first turn — never relinquishing it — and carrying the victory home in champion’s style.

Behind him, amid the celebrations of the Italian crowd lining the course in Livigno, the skier from Castione della Presolana, born in 1997, snatched silver in a photo finish ahead of Switzerland’s Alex Fiva (bronze), sealing the top two steps of the podium for Italy. Tomasoni immediately pointed to the sky in memory of his partner Matilde Lorenzi, the young Italian women’s alpine skiing prospect who passed away in October 2024. Japan’s Satoshi Furuno finished fourth. There was disappointment for the other two Italians in action, Dominik Zuech and Edoardo Zorzi, whose campaigns ended respectively in the quarter-finals and round of 16. (agc)