Built to host the 1956 Winter Olympics, this track has seen some of the greatest bobsleigh and luge champions whizz by, becoming a symbol of the Olympics and the passion for speed on ice.
The Eugenio Monti slope, located in Cortina d'Ampezzo, is one of the historical icons of winter sports, synonymous with excellence and tradition.
The beginnings: Cortina 1956
In 1956, Cortina d'Ampezzo hosted its first Winter Olympic Games, during which the Eugenio Monti track became the venue for the two- and four-man bobsleigh competitions. At the time, it was considered a state-of-the-art piece of engineering, built entirely of natural ice, as tradition demanded. It was named after Eugenio Monti, an Italian bobsleigh legend, who won six Olympic medals and distinguished himself for his sporting spirit, so much so that he was awarded the first Pierre de Coubertin Prize for fair play. The track, with its breathtaking bends and vertiginous descents, soon became the stage for memorable races that wrote the history of the sport. Eugenio Monti's victory in Innsbruck in 1964, although it did not take place on his home track, strengthened his bond with this facility, which has since then borne his name.
Rebirth and evolution
After the glories of the past, the rink continued to host international competitions until the 1990s, when changing regulations and the transition to artificial ice structures made a redesign necessary. In recent years, there has been a heated debate about the need to renovate the rink to make it suitable for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, while complying with modern standards of safety and environmental sustainability.
Today, work is underway on the Cortina Sliding Centre, which will be built on the historic Eugenio Monti track, guaranteeing a modern and environmentally friendly facility, but which will keep alive the link with the glorious past. The new slope will host bobsleigh, skeleton and luge competitions, bringing Cortina back to the centre of the international ice sports scene.
