Olympische Spelen: Zo worden bobsleeën en schaatsspullen naar Italië vervoerd

In the week leading up to the 2026 Winter Games in Milan, Dutch athletes and support staff are moving a wide range of high‑value equipment – from heavy bobsleighs to delicate skating blades – to Italy to ensure they are ready for competition.

Bobsleighs travel by bus

The two‑ and four‑man bobsleighs each weigh roughly 200 kg, making them impossible to fit in a standard car. Bondscoach Ivo de Bruin explains that the sleds are loaded onto a large bus, where they travel to Milan and are lifted on and off by the athletes at the venue.

Flying a bobsleigh is technically possible but would be “very expensive,” de Bruin adds, noting that road transport is cheaper, safer and gives the team more control over handling.

Bus driver Dave Wesselink says the vehicle is packed to capacity. Because the new four‑man bobsleigh is slightly longer, a door panel had to be removed so the sled’s wings fit inside.

Did You Know? The transport bus was altered by removing a door panel to accommodate the longer four‑man bobsleigh.

Keeping equipment intact

Once the sleds arrive in Italy, maintaining their condition is critical. Any damage would require extra replacement parts, which “costs a lot of time” to repair.

While theft of bobsleighs is rare, the team remains vigilant. In cycling, expensive bikes have been stolen during the Tour de France, but Wesselink says such a scenario is unlikely for the sleds. He also remarks that if a Dutch sled appeared for sale online, its ownership would be immediately questionable.

Skaters, short‑trackers and skeleton athletes

Speed skater Merel Conijn travels with a reserve pair of skates that she keeps on her person, plus an extra pair of blades stored in the aircraft’s cargo hold. Short‑track athlete Xandra Velzeboer carries five pairs of blades to swap after collisions and an older reserve pair of shoes she does not intend to race on.

Skeleton racer Kimberley Bos fits her sled in a car, along with an extra helmet, shoes and a spare set of blades. Her helmet required recent adjustments, and sponsor logos are prohibited on helmets during the Games.

Trainer Joska Le Conté personally retrieved her racing suits after past shipments went missing.

Snowboards for Livigno

Snowboarder Melissa Peperkamp brings two complete setups – shoes, bindings and snowboards – to the Livigno venue. One board is a primary race board, the other a reserve; both are brand‑new but identical in model, differing only in print. Her friend Romy van Vreden, also a first‑time Olympian, collected the boards from Zeeland for her.

Expert Insight: Transporting heavyweight sleds and delicate blades highlights the logistical tightrope national teams face. The decision to use a modified bus reflects a cost‑effective strategy that also reduces handling risk, while athletes’ personal responsibility for spare equipment underscores the high stakes of equipment failure at the Games.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are the bobsleighs transported to the Olympic venue?

They are loaded onto a large bus that travels to Milan; the athletes lift the sleds on and off the bus once they arrive.

What steps are taken to protect the equipment from damage or theft?

Teams use road transport to avoid the high cost and risk of air freight, modify vehicles to fit longer sleds, keep spare parts on hand, and athletes personally guard their gear, as illustrated by Kimberley Bos’s plan to keep her sled in her apartment.

Why do athletes bring spare equipment such as skates or blades?

Spare equipment ensures that a malfunction or damage during competition does not jeopardize performance; skaters keep reserve shoes and blades, and short‑track athletes carry multiple blade pairs to replace any that are damaged in collisions.

How do you think these logistical challenges will shape the athletes’ performance at the Games?