(Reuters) - With just over a year to go before the Winter Olympics, the Cortina d'Ampezzo Alpine skiing course got the thumbs up from athletes who competed in the resort last weekend.
The Milan-Cortina Games will be held from Feb. 6-22 with the women's Alpine skiing races in Cortina and the men's events in Bormio.
Last weekend's World Cup races were seen as a test event and the 'Queen of the Dolomites', on the main calendar since 1969, pleased the top contenders.
"This is the biggest crowd I've ever seen in Cortina. I think they really have everything set up really well for the Olympics next year," American Lindsey Vonn, who has won a record 12 speed races on the Olimpia delle Tofane course, said.
"The crowd was amazing. I was up at the Duca d'Aosta restaurant and there were people all along the side of the mountain watching on the big screen. I've never seen that. I've never seen this type of atmosphere. Everyone always had that energy here, but this is next level."
Super-G Olympic champion Lara Gut-Behrami praised the conditions.
"Cortina is a guarantee of quality. The track is always prepared in excellent condition. It’s the only place on the World Cup circuit where, even if it snows a metre, they manage to clear it," she said.
"So, aside from the stunning backdrop of the Dolomites, it also helps you mentally to know that when you arrive, you can look forward to a week in perfect conditions. Every year we have the sun here. I don't know if we're lucky, but it's just amazing conditions, this year even more than the other years."
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by XXXX)
