One Extraordinary Photo: Ski mountaineering makes its debut at the Olympics

By: Gabriele Facciotti, The Associated Press Posted: 11:35 AM CST Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026

BORMIO, Italy (AP) — Gabriele Facciotti is an action and sports photographer born in Turin. His love story with photography began in the most classic of ways: his father’s reflex camera. The opportunity to stop a moment in time before it passes by fascinated him immediately. He loves pasta, red wine, strong winds and black-and-white photography.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 19/02/2026 (197 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

He works with Pentaphoto, one of the main Italian and international photo agencies in the field of sports photography since 1978. In the winter he works as a contributor for The Associated Press.

Why this photo?

Athletes, including Italy's Alba de Silvestro, bottom left, compete during a ski mountaineering women's sprint heat, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Bormio, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

The original plan was to shoot a completely different photo. The idea was to get a frontal frame of the athletes climbing up the course. After taking it, I kept following them with an eye and the geometric lines of the stairs in the background, contrasting with the intensity and drive of their ascent, caught my attention.

How I made this photo

I shot it with a 70–200mm lens, focusing manually because the heavy snowfall was causing problems with the autofocus.

Why this photo works

I could ask you the same question … . Jokes aside, I think it’s a key moment in the race, and the geometry of the stairs really enhances it.

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