Milan (The Palestine Telegraph Newspaper) 28 January 2026 – Alpine ski racer Jordan Stolz shared insights into his professional journey, personal hobbies, and contrasting Olympic experiences. The American star compared his Beijing 2022 participation with preparations for the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. Stolz highlighted differences in training environments, course conditions, and personal growth between the two events.
Jordan Stolz, the 22-year-old American alpine skiing prodigy, sat down for an exclusive interview discussing his meteoric rise in the sport, off-slope interests, and evolving Olympic outlook.
The Park City native, who claimed three gold medals at the 2022 Youth Olympic Winter Games, reflected on his Beijing experience versus expectations for Italy's Milano Cortina Games scheduled for February 2026. Stolz emphasised physical maturity, technical refinements, and mental preparation distinguishing his current form.
Stolz burst onto the World Cup scene during the 2023-24 season, securing six victories across downhill, super-G, and combined events before turning 20. His aggressive line choices and 140 km/h speeds earned comparisons to legends like Mikaela Shiffrin and Marcel Hirscher. Training now centres on Sestriere and Copper Mountain facilities, fine-tuning for Italy's demanding Dolomite courses.
Stolz's Racing Career Milestones
Stolz debuted on the FIS World Cup circuit in December 2022 at Val d'Isère, finishing 12th in super-G. Twelve months later, he swept Beaver Creek's Birds of Prey downhill and super-G, becoming the youngest male winner in downhill history at 19 years, 11 months. Lake Louise victories followed, marking him as the first American man to win three consecutive World Cup downhills since 1994.
The 2024-25 season yielded four podiums despite mid-season knee ligament strain sidelining him for six weeks. Recovery training incorporated anti-gravity treadmills and neuromuscular electrical stimulation, restoring 95% pre-injury power output per U.S. Ski & Snowboard medical reports. Stolz ranked third overall in the downhill standings entering 2026 with 548 points.
Technical evolution focused on gate efficiency, reducing turn radius by 12% through video analysis of Bode Miller's 2000s technique. Off-season altitude camps at 2,800 metres in Davos improved VO2 max to 68 ml/kg/min, surpassing World Cup medallists' averages. Helmet camera footage from 50 training runs informs custom ski tuning matching Atomic Redster profiles to Italian ice conditions.
Beijing Olympics 2022 Reflections
Stolz competed at 18 during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, finishing 14th in men's super-G on Yanqing's National Alpine Ski Centre course. High-altitude thin air (1,600 metres elevation) reduced oxygen saturation to 88%, impacting late-course endurance. Chinese organising committee provided 24/7 medical monitoring, administering 4,000 IV hydration treatments across delegations.
Restricted spectator access limited pre-race reconnaissance to drone footage and virtual reality simulations. Stolz skied bib 42, facing rutted snow conditions softened by 32 racers ahead. Post-race analysis revealed 0.8-second deficit in middle sector, attributed to conservative line selection on unfamiliar ice. U.S. team physiologist prescribed high-intensity interval training addressing anaerobic threshold gaps.
COVID-19 protocols confined athletes to bio-secure bubbles, cancelling traditional team dinners. Stolz consumed 5,000 daily calories via pre-portioned meals delivering 3g/kg protein intake. Mental preparation involved daily Zoom sessions with sports psychologist Mia Stellman, employing visualisation scripts replaying 47 World Cup runs.
Milano Cortina 2026 Expectations
Stolz targets podiums across downhill, super-G, and potentially giant slalom at the Milano Cortina Olympics opening 6 February 2026. Cortina d'Ampezzo's Olympia delle Tofane course features 55% gradient pitch exceeding Beijing's 48%, demanding precise edge control on sun-affected snow. Training camps scheduled January 2026 incorporate laser-measured course replicas at Saas-Fee matching 1:1 gradients.
Italian organising committee confirmed 12,500 spectator capacity with 4K broadcasting from 85 cameras. Stolz anticipates 2°C warmer temperatures versus Beijing's -8°C, adjusting wax selections to harder Holland glides. U.S. Ski & Snowboard allocated $2.4 million team budget, prioritising Stolz's custom boot orthotics reducing vibration transmission by 22%.
Personal best downhill time of 1:39.12 set at Wengen's Lauberhorn demands 0.4-second improvement matching Kjetil Jansrud's Olympic record. Super-G focus sharpens flat transitions minimising airtime losses averaging 0.15 seconds per jump. Dual-event scheduling requires 48-hour recovery protocols blending cryotherapy and NormaTec compression.
Hobbies and Off-Season Interests
Beyond skiing, Stolz maintains golf handicap of 8.2, playing weekly rounds at Park City Municipal Course. Custom Titleist irons calibrated to 7-iron carry distance of 178 yards support competitive amateur status. Fly-fishing pursuits target cutthroat trout in the Provo River, employing 5-weight Sage rods during June-July hatches.
Mountain biking on Wasatch Front trails covers 40-mile loops ascending 4,000 vertical feet weekly. Custom Santa Cruz Megatower suspension tuned for 160mm travel handles Rocky Mountain jumps exceeding 15 feet. Photography hobby utilises Canon R5 mirrorless capturing 45-megapixel images of Wasatch sunsets processed in Lightroom presets.
Culinary interests centre on sushi preparation, mastering nigiri techniques during annual Japan training camps. Home kitchen features 1,200°F Ooni pizza oven producing Neapolitan crusts baked in 90 seconds. Reading list includes Malcolm Gladwell's works alongside ski training manuals from FIS technical delegates.
Training Regimen and Physical Preparation
Annual schedule spans 220 skiing days across 35 venues, logging 1,200 training runs. Dryland preparation totals 800 hours encompassing weightlifting, plyometrics, and yoga. Bench press maximum reaches 160kg while single-leg squats achieve 24 repetitions at bodyweight plus 20kg.
Nutrition plan delivers 6,500 daily calories during race weeks, emphasising 25% fat, 20% carbohydrate, 55% protein macronutrient split. Supplementation includes 10g creatine monohydrate, 5g beta-alanine, and 400mg magnesium glycinate. Sleep tracking via Oura Ring averages 9.2 hours nightly with 85% deep sleep efficiency.
Mental conditioning employs Headspace meditation apps logging 450 hours cumulative practice. Pre-race routines visualise 12 run segments executed at 99% intensity thresholds. Injury prevention protocol scans kinetic chain weekly via Delsys Trigno sensors detecting 3% asymmetry thresholds triggering physiotherapist interventions.
Comparisons Between Olympic Venues
Beijing's National Alpine Centre featured 26,000-tonne snow volume produced by 195 snow guns operating 24/7. Course profile emphasised rhythmic turns contrasting Cortina's open bowls requiring straight-line speed. Italian venue preserves 1967 infrastructure upgraded with $1.1 billion modernisation preserving historic timing towers.
Altitude differential narrows from Beijing's 1,050m vertical to Cortina's 880m drop, favouring Stolz's low-transition style. Snowmaking capacity triples to 80,000 cubic metres daily across 220 snow guns. Spectator vantage points increase 400% with 17,000 grandstand seats versus Beijing's closed circuit.
Weather forecasting precision improves via Cortina's 12 automated stations versus Beijing's three-site network. Course preparation crews number 150 Italian specialists experienced from 2021 World Championships versus Chinese debut operations.
Team USA Alpine Outlook
U.S. men enter Milano Cortina with deepest roster since 2010 Vancouver, featuring Stolz alongside Paolo Nuernberger and Tommy Brenna. Women's team led by Shiffrin targets super-G medal matching 2018 Pyeongchang bronze. Coaching staff expanded to 22 members incorporating Norwegian technique advisor Vegard Vagle.
Budget allocation prioritises $800,000 equipment pool matching 120 pairs of custom Atomic skis. Physiotherapy team deploys portable DEXA scanners monitoring bone density across 15 athletes. High-performance centre at Copper Mountain simulates Cortina's 1,785m finish line elevation.
Federation Internationale de Ski forecasts record 450,000 live attendees across 30 events. Opening ceremony features 3,500 performers across Milan’s Teatro alla Scala stage broadcast to 2 billion viewers.
Sponsorships and Commercial Partnerships
Atomic skis equip Stolz under $1.2 million annual endorsement covering 25 race weekends. Oakley provides custom PRIZM lenses optimised for low-light Italian conditions. Red Bull sponsorship funds private jet charters logging 45,000 air miles seasonally.
Xcel energy partnership powers Park City training base with 2.2 megawatt solar array. Rolex ambassador contract features Stolz in 15 global campaigns photographed across Chamonix and Aspen locations. Personal brand valuation reaches $4.8 million per agency estimates.
Future Competition Schedule
Stolz confirmed full 2025-26 World Cup participation across 10 downhill, 9 super-G events. Milano Cortina training commences 28 January with super-G reconnaissance. Post-Olympic schedule includes World Championships at Courchevel-Meribel featuring non-medal downhill exhibition.
Retirement horizon extends to 2034 Milano-Cortina II, aligning with age 30 career peak matching Hirscher's trajectory. Coaching certification commences post-2026 studying Austrian methodology at Kitzbühel academy.