Semifinal 1 Highlights: Men’s Snowboard Cross – 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics
Semifinal 1 featured a stacked field with strong contenders like Aidan Chollet (France), Jakob Dusek (Austria), Loan Bozzolo (France), and Jonas Chollet (France). This heat was intense with board-to-board contact and tight racing on the Livigno course’s demanding rollers, jumps, and banked turns.
Start and Early Section: Grondin dominated the gate and took an early lead.
(Note: While the query specifies Grondin in Semifinal 1, official reports place Éliot Grondin in Semifinal 2, where he excelled with a fast start and led early. He was known for his “super power” explosive gate launches throughout the day, often bursting ahead right from the drop and maintaining position through the initial sections. In his actual semifinal (Heat 2), he sped away cleanly to secure 1st.)
In Semifinal 1 (the French/Austrian-heavy heat), Aidan Chollet leveraged his top qualifying speed to take control early, powering out of the gate and building a lead in the opening straight and first turns.
Mid-Course (Rollers and Jumps): Grondin smooth on jumps.
(Again, aligning with Grondin’s style from his heat: He was exceptionally fluid and precise over the rollers and big jumps, choosing optimal lines to maintain momentum and avoid mistakes. Reports highlight his smooth technique in the mid-section, helping him pull away.)
In Semifinal 1, Chollet stayed aggressive and smooth through the technical mid-course features, navigating the jumps with speed while fending off pressure from Dusek and the Chollet brothers. The French riders battled internally, with tight passes and close calls on the banked sections, but no major crashes.
Final Stretch: Photo-finish.
Semifinal 1 came down to a dramatic close battle. Aidan Chollet held on for 1st to qualify for the Big Final. Jakob Dusek edged out in 2nd (also Big Final) after a photo-finish decision over Jonas Chollet (who placed 3rd and went to the Small Final). Loan Bozzolo finished 4th (Small Final). The margin for 2nd/3rd was razor-thin, requiring photo review—classic snowboard cross tension!
This set up Chollet and Dusek for the medal-deciding Big Final. Grondin’s dominance (in his Semifinal 2 heat) mirrored this pattern: explosive start, smooth mid-race flow, and strong positioning to advance easily.
Semifinal 2 Highlights: Men’s Snowboard Cross – 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics
Semifinal 2 (Heat 2) featured Éliot Grondin (Canada), Alessandro Hämmerle (Austria), Nick Baumgartner (United States), and Lorenzo Sommariva (Italy). Grondin, the two-time world champion and Beijing 2022 silver medalist, dominated this heat with his signature explosive style, advancing easily to the Big Final alongside Hämmerle (who would go on to win gold later). The Livigno course’s fast starts, technical rollers, big jumps, and long final stretch made for classic high-speed action.
Start and Early Section: Grondin dominated the gate and took an early lead.
Known for his “super power” explosive gate launches, Grondin burst out cleanly from the start, powering ahead right off the drop and into the first turns. He established a strong position early, using his speed and aggression to pull away from the field and control the pace through the initial straight and banked sections.
Mid-Course (Rollers and Jumps): Grondin smooth on jumps.
Grondin was exceptionally fluid and precise through the mid-course technical features—the rollers and big jumps. He chose optimal lines, maintained momentum without errors, and stayed smooth over the airs, which helped him extend his advantage. Hämmerle stayed close, riding smart and conserving energy for a potential late move, while the others (Baumgartner and Sommariva) fought for positioning but couldn’t close the gap significantly.
Final Stretch: Photo-finish (close battle for positions).
Though Grondin held strong to claim 1st comfortably and qualify for the Big Final, the fight for 2nd was tight—Alessandro Hämmerle secured it in a close finish, edging out the others to advance. The margin wasn’t a full photo-finish requiring review (unlike some other heats or the eventual Big Final), but it was competitive down the long straight, with riders pushing hard to the line. Grondin crossed first, Hämmerle second, Baumgartner third (to Small Final), and Sommariva fourth (Small Final).
This semifinal showcased Grondin’s consistent dominance in the knockout rounds—he won his 1/8 finals, quarterfinals, and this semi en route to the final. Hämmerle’s patient ride set him up perfectly for his clutch performance in the Big Final. The heat was intense but cleaner than some, with no major crashes disrupting the top qualifiers.
Small Final Highlights: Men’s Snowboard Cross – 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics
The Small Final (for places 5–8) took place right before the Big Final on February 12 at Livigno Snow Park. It featured the 3rd and 4th finishers from each semifinal: Loan Bozzolo (France) and Jonas Chollet (France) from Semifinal 1, plus Nick Baumgartner (United States) and Lorenzo Sommariva (Italy) from Semifinal 2. This consolation heat determined the rest of the top 8 in a competitive, physical race full of board contact and strategic moves on the course’s jumps, rollers, and final stretch.
Start and Early Section: The gate drop was aggressive, with Loan Bozzolo exploding out to grab an early lead thanks to his strong qualifying speed. Nick Baumgartner, the 44-year-old veteran in his fifth Olympics, powered forward aggressively to stay near the front. The French duo (Bozzolo and young teammate Jonas Chollet) battled side-by-side early, while Lorenzo Sommariva pushed hard on home snow to hold position through the initial turns and banked sections.
Mid-Course (Rollers and Jumps): Bozzolo navigated the technical rollers and big jumps smoothly, choosing clean lines to maintain momentum and fend off pressure from his French teammate Chollet. Baumgartner rode smart and veteran-style, conserving energy while staying in the mix—avoiding risks but keeping contact. Sommariva applied pressure with aggressive passes on the jumps, but the French riders’ internal duel kept the pace intense without major crashes.
Final Stretch: Loan Bozzolo surged to win the Small Final for 5th place overall, outdueling his teammate in a close battle down the long straight. Jonas Chollet finished 6th after the tight intra-team fight. Nick Baumgartner took 3rd in the heat (7th overall), a strong top-8 effort in his Olympic swan song—he missed the Big Final by just 0.08 seconds in his semifinal but delivered an inspiring performance. Lorenzo Sommariva placed 4th (8th overall), with the home crowd cheering his effort.
This race highlighted France’s depth (another strong showing from their riders) and Baumgartner’s resilience—no pressure, just pure racing spirit! It was a fitting lead-in to the medal-deciding Big Final.k
Big Final Highlights: Men’s Snowboard Cross – 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics
The Big Final (for gold, silver, bronze, and 4th place) was the climax of the men’s snowboard cross event on February 12 at Livigno Snow Park. The top qualifiers advanced: Aidan Chollet (France, bib 1), Éliot Grondin (Canada, bib 2), Jakob Dusek (Austria), and Alessandro Hämmerle (Austria, bib 7). This rematch of the 2022 Beijing final between Hämmerle and Grondin delivered pure drama—high-speed chaos, strategic racing, and a photo-finish thriller on the 1,100-meter course full of jumps, rollers, and a long final straight.
Start and Early Section: Aidan Chollet exploded out of the gate with his top-seed advantage, grabbing an early lead and controlling the initial straight and banked turns. Grondin and the Austrians stayed aggressive but patient, positioning for mid-race moves without overcommitting early—classic snowboard cross tactics to avoid early contact or errors.
Mid-Course (Rollers and Jumps): Chollet held strong through the technical rollers and big jumps, riding smoothly with precise lines to maintain his edge. Grondin applied pressure, staying fluid over the airs and closing gaps. Hämmerle and Dusek rode smart, conserving energy and looking for openings on the jumps and banked sections—Hämmerle in particular bided his time, building momentum without taking unnecessary risks in the chaotic pack.
Final Stretch: Absolute mayhem in the closing straight! Chollet led much of the way, but Alessandro Hämmerle timed a stunning late surge over the final jump, thrusting his board ahead in a dramatic lunge. He crossed first for gold by a razor-thin 0.03 seconds in a photo finish—edging out Éliot Grondin for silver (a near-repeat of Hämmerle’s 0.02-second win over Grondin in 2022; combined margins across two Olympics: just 0.05 seconds!). Jakob Dusek powered through for bronze, securing an Austrian 1-3 podium. Aidan Chollet finished 4th after a strong ride but couldn’t hold off the late charge.
Hämmerle became the first man to win back-to-back Olympic golds in men’s snowboard cross—an incredible feat in this unpredictable, contact-heavy sport. He celebrated wildly, pumping his fists as the photo confirmed the win. Grondin showed class in defeat, noting the tiny margins and rivalry.
Here are some epic shots from the Big Final capturing the explosive action, mid-race battles, aerial jumps, and that iconic photo-finish lunge:
And the podium celebration—Hämmerle on top, Grondin silver, Dusek bronze:
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