One of the most thrilling competitions at the Winter Olympics is bobsled. The 2026 Milan-Cortina Games will feature athletes from around the world speeding down narrow, icy tracks in mechanically engineered sleds in an exhilarating, nerve-racking race against time.
A staple since the first Winter Olympics in 1924, bobsled, which earned its name from early racers who would "bob" their heads and bodies back and forth to build speed and momentum, was invented by the Swiss in the late 1860s. Here is everything to know about bobsled at the 2026 Winter Games:
What is bobsled?
Teams of two or four athletes race a sled down a track with the goal of achieving the fastest time. The competition combines explosive sprinting power with precise steering and teamwork. Competitors sprint while pushing the sled for a powerful start and then steer it through curves using ropes (D-rings). Wooden sleds were used in early competitions. Today, the sport consists of high-tech fiberglass and steel bobsleds.
What are the bobsled events at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
▪︎ 2-man bobsled (one pilot and one push athlete)
▪︎ 4-man bobsled (one pilot and three push athletes)
▪︎ 2-woman bobsled (introduced at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games)
▪︎ Women's monobob (solo women's pilots push, steer and brake on their own; debuted at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing)
Where will the bobsled events be held at the 2026 Winter Olympics?
The bobsled events will take place at the Eugenio Monti Sliding Center in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
How does bobsled work at the Olympics?
Winter Olympic bobsled races take place over four heats across two days. All four runs are added together for a total time. The team with the lowest (fastest) total time after four heats wins. In the event of a tie, both teams are awarded medals.
The start order changes from run to run. The International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation pilot rankings make up the order for the first heat. The second heat generally goes from slowest to fastest based on times in the first run. The third run starts fastest to slowest based on combined times. Only the top 20 sleds qualify for the final run, going in reverse order from slowest to fastest.
Only the pilot may steer the sled once it is in motion. The pilot uses two steering ropes connected to the front-runners.
Who are the top countries in Olympic bobsled?
Germany has historically been the dominant force in the sport, winning 16 Olympic gold medals. Switzerland ranks second, with 10 golds. The United States also has a rich bobsled history, capturing 28 total Olympic medals, including eight golds. Steven Holcomb led the men's four-man team to gold at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Check out the ESPN Olympics hub page for the latest news, features, schedules, results, medal tracker and more.