Alessandro Haemmerle repeats as Olympic snowboard cross champion in Livigno

Austria’s Alessandro Haemmerle clinched a second straight Olympic title in men’s snowboard cross on Wednesday, Feb. 12 (ET), outpacing Canada’s Eliot Grondin in a tense big final at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games in Livigno, Italy. Austria doubled up on the podium with Jakob Dusek in bronze, while France’s Aidan Chollet placed fourth.

Final heat at a glance

The championship race delivered a clean, decisive finish from Haemmerle, who held position in the closing section to secure the gold. Grondin, a constant threat through every round, pressured to the line for silver. Dusek completed a landmark day for Austria with third, edging Chollet in a tightly bunched pack that underscored the margins separating the sport’s elite.

The big final featured minimal separation out of the start and through the high-speed rollers, with passing lanes limited to well-timed setups in the midsection. Haemmerle’s composure and line choice on the final features proved the difference.

A one-two punch for Austria

Haemmerle’s victory cements back-to-back Olympic golds after his triumph four years ago, reinforcing a veteran’s grip on one of the Games’ most volatile events. Dusek’s bronze adds depth to Austria’s dominance in Livigno, giving the team both a title defense and a second medal on the same day. The combination highlighted the program’s balance of experience and form under pressure in knockout racing.

With two riders on the box, Austria showcased race craft that traveled from qualifying through heats and into the medal round—rare consistency on a course where one bobble can unravel a run.

Grondin’s surge continues

Grondin’s silver extends a major-championship arc that has steadily trended upward. After taking the Olympic silver in 2022, he captured the 2025 world title, defeating a final stacked with familiar names. In Livigno, his speed through drafting sections and exits off features kept him within striking distance of gold again, reinforcing his standing as the event’s most persistent challenger in the Haemmerle era.

While the top step eluded him this time, Grondin leaves Livigno with another medal and the momentum to anchor Canada’s boardercross push for the rest of the season.

A field too close to call

The result capped a bracket that lived up to expectations of parity. Pre-race outlooks pointed to a cluster of true contenders rather than a single runaway favorite. Beyond the four big-final finishers, the spotlight throughout the rounds included Adam Lambert, Jonas Chollet, Loan Bozzolo, Lorenzo Sommariva and others who have traded wins and podiums across tour stops and past championships.

That depth has become a hallmark of modern snowboard cross, where gate selection, start mechanics and midcourse positioning can flip a heat in seconds. Livigno doubled down on that theme, with narrow lanes and quick features placing a premium on discipline and timing.

What it means for Milano Cortina — and beyond

For Haemmerle, the repeat confirms a legacy built on execution in the sport’s most unforgiving format. For Dusek, a bronze reinforces podium potential in any draw, while Grondin’s silver underlines a consistency that will loom over every major start this winter. The balance of power remains fluid, but the benchmark has once again been set by Haemmerle’s ability to own the decisive moments.

As the Games roll on, the spotlight widens to other freestyle and alpine snowboard events, with athletes and storylines continuing to ripple through the Olympic week. Fans tracking the broader conversation—from established champions to emerging names like Li Yu-hsiang—will find no shortage of momentum swings as brackets reset and new finals approach.