Milan's Olympic Sprint to the Finish

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Milan's Olympic Sprint to the Finish

What's going on: The Olympic flame is officially on the move, winding its way through Italy before the Milan Cortina Winter Games kick off on February 4. On paper, the Games have everything you’d want: 16 sports across multiple picturesque regions. But in reality, organizers are currently midslalom and racing to beat the clock. Construction on the main hockey arena still isn’t finished. And the rink? According to The Athletic, it’s smaller than NHL regulation, which initially raised concerns NHL players could miss the games. Oh puck. With around two-thirds of the roughly 1.5 million tickets sold, organizers still have seats — and buzz — to sell. Thankfully, Ralph Lauren hit his deadline and delivered Team USA ceremony fits worthy of the podium.

Our take: The Milan Games will be a far cry from the last pandemic-era Winter Olympics, with fans back in full force. And there are plenty of US athletes to cheer on (from the couch), starting with snowboarder Chloe Kim, who’s already made Olympic history. Skier Mikaela Shiffrin’s chasing more records. And Lindsey Vonn? She’s aiming for a comeback at 41. The sidelines are stacked too, with hype men like Flavor Flav and Jon Hamm — plus Stanley Tucci promises to bring some culinary flair. If Italy musters even half the energy it did in Turin 2006, we’re in for a show. Now, here’s hoping we all get the hockey action we deserve.

Related: The Olympic Mascots Are as Cute as Can Be — But What Are They? (Olympics)

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