When Franco Nones won the gold medal in the 30 km cross-country skiing At the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, he did more than secure Italy’s first Olympic title in the sport — he broke ground in a discipline hitherto dominated by Scandinavians and the Soviet Union.
The former Olympic champion will return to the Olympic stage this Friday (6), when he carries the Olympic flag in Cortina d’Ampezzo during the opening ceremony.
In a symbolic historical coincidence for Italian winter sport, the first Olympic cross-country skiing event in Val di Fiemme will be held on February 7th, the date that marks the anniversary of its historic gold medal.
The Games will come to Nones’ home valley exactly 58 years after that achievement.
“It’s a great honor. I’m very happy to have been chosen,” Nones told Reuters. He turned 85 on Sunday (1).
Nones will share the honor in Cortina with Italian short track skater Martina Valcepina.
Vale Natal will play a central role in the Games
Born in Castello-Molina di Fiemme, in the Trentino region, Nones saw his homeland transform into one of the main centers for Nordic skiing in Italy.
“The Val di Fiemme is now the center of the world,” said Nones, highlighting that, in an Olympics distributed across different competition centers, the valley’s weight in the programming is significant.
“We will award 38 medals, a third of all Olympic medals,” he said.
The cross-country skiing and Nordic combined events will be held in Tesero, while neighboring Predazzo will host the ski jumping competitions.
In Val di Fiemme, there are three World Cross-Country Skiing Championships, held in 1991, 2003 and 2013.
“In 35 years, I believe that very few countries, in a single location, have achieved something like this,” he said. “And it all started with my gold medal.”
Nones’ international talent began to stand out at the Innsbruck Games in 1964, when he finished 10th in the men’s 15 km race.
Two years later, he confirmed his world status at the 1966 World Championships in Oslo, winning bronze in the 4×10 km relay and placing sixth in the 30 km.
Then came the performance that transformed his career and the identity of Italian winter sport.
As the first non-Scandinavian and non-Soviet person to win an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing, Nones gained lasting respect in Sweden, Norway and Finland, countries where he spent long periods training and competing.
He has built deep ties in the world of Nordic skiing, including personal relationships with influential figures, including members of the Swedish royal circle.
His connection with Sweden also extended to his personal life, as he married Swedish Inger Berneholm. Together, they formed a family and a professional partnership by founding a company specializing in technical equipment for skiing and outdoor activities.
Nones stated that he does not hold a formal position at , but is available to help if called upon.
“Just pick up the phone and I’m here.”
