The countdown is on for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. The torch relay is already underway and some of the top athletes are already making headlines. There are 16 sports in all, including some never seen before, and 116 gold medals are waiting to be awarded.

O n the outskirts of Milan lorries come and go from a site beside the railway tracks where the final touches are being put to six elegant beige and cream apartment blocks. At the end of January thousands of athletes will arrive and the site will become an Olympic Village. The 2026 Winter Games are due to start here on February 6th.