The athletes and coaches of the Italian Army Sports Centre’s Winter Sports Section were received at the Alpine Troops Command headquarters in Palazzo Alti Comandi, Bolzano. They were welcomed by the Commander of the Alpine Troops, Major General Alberto Vezzoli. The Italian Army published the news on 5 October 2026.
From the Olympic slopes to the Alpine Troops
The meeting brought together Army sportspeople who distinguished themselves at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games and the leadership responsible for preserving and developing Italy’s military expertise in mountain environments.
Based in Courmayeur, the Army Sports Centre’s Winter Sports Section connects elite competition, technical preparation and knowledge of the mountains. The visit to Bolzano provided an opportunity to recognise the work of the athletes and their coaches, as well as the daily discipline behind every sporting result.
Sport, preparation and mountain culture
For the alpine community, winter sport is more than competition. Training on snow and at altitude demands judgement, endurance, respect for the environment and an awareness of personal limits. These qualities also belong to the tradition of the Alpine Troops and continue to be developed through education, training and teamwork.
This is the deeper value of the meeting: celebrating sporting results also means recognising the preparation, competence and responsibility that made them possible.
A message for former servicemen too
The Salce Alpini Group sees this news as a sign of continuity between generations. The National Alpini Association and the Alpine Troops are distinct organisations, but they share a strong connection with the mountains, a sense of duty and an understanding of the importance of the group.
Telling the story of the Army Sports Centre’s athletes therefore reveals a contemporary face of the alpine world: highly trained, international and capable of turning individual commitment into a collective achievement.
