The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will present one of the most complex logistical challenges in Olympic history.
Spread across northern Italy, the Games will take place over vast distances, rugged mountain terrain and multiple athlete villages. For Team Ireland, a small team competing across several locations, the ability to move quickly, safely and independently between venues will be essential, and that’s where Hertz plays a crucial role as a trusted transport supplier.
The 2026 Winter Games are uniquely dispersed, with six athlete villages located in Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Anterselva (Antholz), Bormio, Livigno and Predazzo. Team Ireland will be based across four of these villages, supporting athletes competing in different disciplines and regions. While the layout may appear straightforward on a map, the reality is far more demanding.
As Chef de Mission Nancy Chillingworth explains:
“When you first start playing a games like this and you look at it on a map, it always looks nice and flat. And then you realise that it’s the middle of winter and you’re across the Alps and the Dolomites.”
Distances between venues are significant. Milan, which hosts ice sports and the opening ceremony, is approximately 280 kilometres from Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomites, a journey that can take several hours in winter conditions. Alpine venues such as Bormio and Livigno are between 230 and 370 kilometres apart from other Games locations, with travel routes winding through mountainous terrain where weather can be unpredictable.
While the organising committee is discouraging cross-cluster travel, Chillingworth notes that such movement is unavoidable for a smaller delegation:
“When you’re supporting such a small team, it will be essential that we are able to move across and between the villages.”
This is where Hertz’s support becomes mission-critical. By providing reliable vehicles and flexible transport options, Hertz enables Team Ireland’s coaches, medical staff and support personnel to operate independently, ensuring athletes receive consistent support wherever they are competing.
“Having transport options that we can rely on and that we’re not at somebody else’s whim is essential for the success of the team,” Chillingworth adds.
In one of the most geographically demanding Winter Olympics ever staged, Hertz is helping Team Ireland overcome distance, terrain and winter conditions, keeping the team connected, supported and focused on performance when it matters most.