Skiing with stars: Cross-country trail in the Dolomites offers rare chance to ski with Olympians

ZIANO DI FIEMME, Italy (AP) — Emma Wilson had barely clipped into cross-country ski bindings for the first time in her life when an Olympic athlete breezed past.

She knew it would be a day she would never forget.

“When we saw the first one we were like, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s an Olympian! It’s an Olympian!’” Wilson said.

On a stretch of the famed Marcialonga track, cross-country skiing fans, amateur athletes and even beginners have been thrilled to find they are sharing the public trail with the best skiers in the world. Olympians are using the track to train, warm up or travel between the Olympic Village in Predazzo and the cross-country ski stadium in Tesero.

The 70-kilometer (40-mile) trail known for its annual ski marathon runs through Val di Fiemme, home to cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and ski jumping events that are spread across a swath of northern Italy at the Milan Cortina Games.

The trail along the tumbling Avisio River offers views of the extraordinary and ordinary beneath the steeple-like Dolomites.

Snowcapped peaks rise into the clouds, skis slicing through snow drown out the rushing river while skiers pass lumber yards and aromatic dairy farms that bring an authentic charm to a region that still thrives on ancient industry.

Stjepan Balog, a Croatian sports journalist who has covered Olympics and World Cup competitions from the sidelines, had set out to give the sport a try and get some fresh air and was surprised to practically be on the field of play with athletes.

“It’s a really amazing experience because I never in my life had this honor,” Balog said. “Now I can see what real sportsmen are and what really cross-country skiing is when I compare my skills and their skills.”

It would be like showing up to kick the soccer ball around with a few friends and finding Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the pitch.

The Olympians — identifiable by their national garb or wearing vests with the Olympic rings that say “athlete” — blaze past at a conversational pace with teammates or competitors. U.S. star Rosie Brennan, who just missed the podium in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, was among the better known of those seen on the trail.

Matt Smith, a South African in his first Olympics, has basked in the warm welcome he's received, even if requests for photos and autographs have interrupted the rhythm of his warmups and cooldowns.

“I’m very grateful. I get stopped, I’m signing signatures,” he said. “I feel like (Johannes Hoesflot) Klaebo. It feels like a rock star really.”

Smith said that too often skiers pass each other without giving much thought to one another.

“It's nice that the culture is to meet and greet as you go,” he said, shouting “buongiorno” and “ciao” to a passing skier.

Lena Furehed of Sweden, who has skied the Marcialonga race 12 times, said she was inspired by the flawless form of the pros, whom she has cheered on as they passed her.

“I said to my daughter, ‘Look and watch and try to do as they do,’” she said.

Cross-country skiing is an easy sport to pick up but takes time to master. The coordination and balance required can make for some ungraceful moments.

Wilson and three Australian friends who decided to try the sport between watching competitions found their lighthearted jaunt quickly turned to an effort to stay upright, avoid a collision with an athlete and not embarrass themselves too much.

Only one of them had skied before and by the first hill, Wilson was on her butt and Hannah McAdam was on her knees and they were all engulfed in giggles. Even the trio of Olympians who effortlessly glided past had a laugh.

The Aussies agreed it was the highlight of their day.

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Australians from left, Emma Wilson,Hannah McAdam, Saskia Moon and Kaitlyn Rozic stop while skiing on the Marcialonga trail, during the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Tesero, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Melley)

Olympic cross-country skiers from Thailand ski along the Marcialonga trail, during the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Ziano di Fiemme, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Melley)

A cross-country skiing athlete from Sweden skis through the village of Ziano di Fiemme during a non-competition day at the 2026 Winter Olympics, near the course in Tesero, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Cross-country skiing athletes from Armenia ski through the village of Ziano di Fiemme during a non-competition day at the 2026 Winter Olympics, near the course in Tesero, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

A cross-country skiing athlete from Italy skis through the village of Ziano di Fiemme during a non-competition day at the 2026 Winter Olympics, near the course in Tesero, Italy, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo says he’s healthy and wants to play even as the Milwaukee Bucks continue to say the two-time MVP is too injured to take the floor.

Antetokounmpo missed a 10th straight game on Friday night against the Boston Celtics due to what the team has described as a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise. Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since landing awkwardly during a March 15 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

“I’m healthy,” Antetokounmpo told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and The Athletic before Friday’s game. “I hate it when people force me to do things against my nature. I’m a player. I get paid to play.”

For the last couple of weeks, Antetokounmpo has participated in pregame warmups without showing any apparent signs of injury.

Antetokounmpo also noted that the Bucks should have known this about him since the 31-year-old has spent his entire 13-year career in Milwaukee.

Throughout that time, Antetokounmpo has had a reputation for rapid returns from injury, most notably when he hyperextended his knee during Milwaukee’s 2021 playoff run but missed two games before returning to lead the Bucks to their first title in half a century.

“You know who you’re dealing with,” Antetokounmpo told reporters. “So, for somebody to come and tell me to not play or to not compete, it’s like a slap in my face.”

The Bucks still had a remote chance of earning a 10th straight playoff berth at the time of that Indiana game, but they were officially eliminated from contention last week. There’s also the possibility of Antetokounmpo getting hurt again if he returns to action — he has missed a career-high 41 games this season and had two extended absences due to calf strains.

“I understand the circumstances — yes, we’re not going to be in the playoffs,” Antetokounmpo said. “For some people’s eyes, it’s not worth it for me to be out there. But for me, it’s something that goes against my nature.”

Antetokounmpo also wanted the opportunity to play alongside his younger brother, Alex, who made his NBA debut Sunday. There was a possibility of three Antetokounmpo brothers playing alongside each other in the same game, since Giannis’ older brother, Thanasis, also is on the Bucks.

“When my dad passed away, I pretty much raised (Alex),” Antetokounmpo said. “He’s able to be on the team and suit up and chase an opportunity to be great. You really think I don’t want to suit up and play with my brother? Anybody who thinks that is an idiot.”

Antetokounmpo’s desire to play — and the Bucks’ wishes to rest him — drew the attention of the National Basketball Players Association last month.

“The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,” the union said in a statement. “Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking.”

This dispute between Antetokounmpo and the Bucks comes at a time when his future in Milwaukee is uncertain. Antetokounmpo’s name dominated league-wide discussions leading up to the trade deadline, though the Bucks ultimately kept him.

Antetokounmpo becomes eligible to sign a four-year contract extension worth up to $275 million in October. If he doesn’t sign the extension, Antetokounmpo could become a free agent after the 2026-27 season, or the Bucks could decide to trade him beforehand.

Now they find themselves at odds over how to handle the rest of this season.

“I don’t know where the relationship goes from there,” Antetokounmpo said. “We’ve got to go to couples therapy.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Injured Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, center right, talks with an official, center left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)