South Tyrol's last great medal hope: Patrick Baumgartner. © FELICE CALABRO' / Felice Calabro'

The Pusterer, who steers 630 kilos across the bare ice

The Olympic Games are nearing their conclusion. But South Tyrol still has a strong contender: Patrick Baumgartner aims for great things this weekend. But what makes Italy's best bobsledder tick?

February 20, 2026

From Cortina d'Ampezzo

In another life, Patrick Baumgartner probably wouldn't be found in the picturesque, snow-covered Cortina d'Ampezzo right now, but somewhere high up. Several kilometers high, in fact. "It used to be a dream of mine to become a pilot," laughs the 31-year-old from Pfalzen.

Baumgartner did eventually become a pilot, but not of any flying objects. Instead, he piloted a bobsled that, with all its components, weighed over half a ton – and hurtled through a narrow, winding, and completely iced-over track at speeds of around 150 km/h. In terms of adrenaline and thrills, his realized dream job was every bit as good as his childhood dream.

Patrick Baumgartner is the pilot of the four-man bobsleigh. © FELICE CALABRO' / Felice Calabro'

The model athlete from the Puster Valley is South Tyrol's last medal hope in Cortina d'Ampezzo. On Sunday, the very last day of competition, Baumgartner has his big chance at a medal in the four-man bobsleigh. He already piloted his two-man bobsleigh down the Eugenio Monti track in the Ampezzo Dolomites, but that ultimately served more as preparation for the premier discipline, the four-man. There, the athlete from Pfalzen and his crew have already reached the World Cup podium this season, finishing third, and his outstanding times in the initial training runs in Cortina d'Ampezzo have hinted that great things are possible.

It all started by chance

Patrick Baumgartner's story begins in Issing, a small district of the municipality of Pfalzen. There's no strong bobsleigh tradition here; quite the opposite, in fact: young Patrick was initially a fairly good skier who even participated in races until his teens. "But I stopped when I was 14; the passion just wasn't there anymore," Baumgartner explains.

Patrick Baumgartner aims to cause a sensation at the Olympics © FELICE CALABRO' / Felice Calabro'

A chance encounter came at just the right time. "My uncle was stationed with the Carabinieri in Bruneck at the time and met the South Tyrolean luge star Arnold Huber there. He was training young bobsledders back then and was looking for new talent," Baumgartner explained. "So my uncle asked me if I'd like to give it a try. He said I had the right build for it. So I spontaneously traveled to Innsbruck and rode a bobsled down the ice track – and I loved it immediately."

"I liked it" is an understatement, because Baumgartner was immediately captivated by his newfound passion. Step by step, he worked his way up until he finally became Italy's best bobsled pilot. That Baumgartner, now 31, is still so passionate about his sport is especially evident when he talks about it with such enthusiasm.

120.000 euros for a bobsled

“As the pilot, you're the one in control of the sled. I can steer the bobsled with two ropes inside. Behind me sit the three pushers/brakemen. Ideally, these athletes weigh around 100 kilograms and are also very explosive and agile. Therefore, they are often career changers who come from track and field,” says Baumgartner, who shares his sled with Eric Fantazzini, Robert Mircea, and Lorenzo Bilotti.

"On the track, we reach speeds of up to 150 km/h." Patrick Baumgartner

A four-man bobsled like this costs a hefty €120.000 – partly because everything is made by hand. And then there's the weight. "The sled itself weighs 210 kilograms, and the maximum weight for the sled, including the crew, is 630 kilograms. To reach this 630-kilogram limit, extra weights can be added, because: the heavier the sled, the faster it goes. On the track, we reach speeds of up to 150 km/h," says Baumgartner.

The shocking moment

Anyone who's ever driven that fast on the Autobahn knows that even the slightest mishap can have serious consequences. Baumgartner experienced this firsthand a month ago when his bobsled overturned at high speed during a race in Altenberg. "It was a nightmare," says the man from Puster Valley. "When I jumped in at the start, I kicked the left steering rope out of the way and effectively lost control of the sled. You're going along, knowing the bobsled is going to flip over. It was a shock, but luckily everything turned out alright."

"I will marry my girlfriend Greta in June." Patrick Baumgartner

This was one of the few negative experiences in an otherwise very solid career. A career that now reaches its major highlight with the Olympic Games on his home turf. But that's not the only reason Baumgartner's 2026 is a special year. "I'm getting married in June," says the 31-year-old, who got engaged two years ago on a picturesque beach to his long-time girlfriend, Greta Passler. She is the sister of biathlete Rebecca Passler.

Happy couple: Baumgartner and his fiancée Greta.

“I’m so happy about how much she supports me. She often comes to my races and, just like my parents, sometimes drives for eight hours to get there,” said Baumgartner, who can also count on special support during the final runs on Sunday. His big goal: “A medal!” Then the bobsledder from Pfalzen would finally become a superstar – and all without an airplane.