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Gold medallist Austria's Alessandro Haemmerle celebrates on the podium after the Snowboard Men's Cross Final at Livigno Snow Park during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Oliver Weiken/dpa
History repeated itself on Thursday when Austria's Alessandro Hämmerle beat Eliot Grondin of Canada again for Olympic snowboard cross gold to become the third back-to-back winner in the event.
In the dramatic end of the big final on Livigno course, Hämmerle, Grondin and a second Austrian, Jakob Dusek, boarded side by side to the finish line, with Hämmerle prevailing by three hundredths of a second.
Hämmerle trailed for most of the race but delivered when it mattered to beat the reigning world champion Grondin.
"Unbelievable. I’m not sure how I made it. It was so tight all the time, but it was great racing with Eliot once again," Hämmerle said.
"The big final was a big, big fight. I’m happy to come out on top.
"I got sick on Sunday and I thought, ‘Please, it can't be, all this work for nothing’. I don't know how I did it, but I've got this thing around my neck and I'm very grateful."
Snowboard cross made its Olympic debut in 2006 and Hämmerle follows a tradition of back-to-back winners which American Seth Wescott and Pierre Vaultier of France did before him.
Hämmerle said he was unlikely to go for a first three-peat.
"I don't think I will be back. Next year there's the home world championships, and that will probably be my last race," he said.
"It kind of feels sad at the moment, but I'm so happy to leave this stage like that. The young generation is pushing, and I think I'll find something else to do and have fun."
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(L-R) Silver medallist Canada's Eliot Grondin, gold medallist Austria's Alessandro Haemmerle and bronze medallist Austria's Jakob Dusek pose on the podium after the Snowboard Men's Cross Final at Livigno Snow Park during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Oliver Weiken/dpa
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