Austria vs. Germany Prediction on February 12, 2026

Match info

The luge team relay is one of the most intense Olympic sliding events because it compresses three races into a single, uninterrupted run sequence: women’s singles → men’s singles → doubles. Every hundredth of a second matters, and the relay format rewards not just raw speed, but flawless timing at the touch pads, clean exits from curves, and seamless transitions between teammates. If you’re a fan of Olympic sliding disciplines and betting on them, we refer you to our platform for Olympic betting site reviews and event guides to compare bookmaker reliability and market depth for high-profile events like this relay.

Unlike individual races, the team relay crowns the nation with the strongest all-around luge program, making it a true test of national depth and technical coordination. The final is scheduled for Thursday, February 12, 2026, at 18:30 Central European Time (CET, local time) at the Cortina Sliding Centre “Eugenio Monti” (Eugenio Monti Track) in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. It’s the modernized Olympic track that blends high-speed straights with demanding technical sections, rewarding teams that can maintain momentum while minimizing steering errors across all three relay legs.

Meeting statistics

Current form and playstyle: Austria

Austria has emerged as the closest challenger to Germany, a powerhouse in recent seasons. Their current relay profile is defined by aggressive entry speeds and strong doubles performance, often gaining time in the middle portion of the track.

Austrian sliders tend to ski with slightly more attacking steering patterns, which can generate faster sector times when executed cleanly. When Austria gets synchronized runs across all three legs, they have the pace to directly challenge Germany for gold — especially on tracks that reward bold line choices and rapid exit speed.

Current form and playstyle: Germany

Germany enters Milano Cortina as the benchmark nation in luge, which isn’t a novelty. Their strength lies in systematic consistency across all three disciplines — women’s singles, men’s singles, and doubles. The German relay approach is built around explosive starts, ultra-clean steering lines, and precise relay pad execution.

What separates Germany from most rivals is how rarely they produce “weak legs.” Even when one athlete is slightly off peak form, the overall team structure usually compensates with elite depth. This reliability makes Germany especially dangerous in cumulative relay formats, where small mistakes by opponents quickly snowball.

Note

Latvia represents the classic relay spoiler. While they lack the overall depth of Germany or Austria, they consistently produce elite doubles teams and strong individual sliders who can punch above their rankings. Latvia’s relay strength comes from technical discipline and minimizing mistakes rather than raw speed. If one of the favorites has a flawed transition or a minor steering error, Latvia will be well-positioned to capitalize and enter medal contention.

Head-to-head

Over recent World Cup relay events and major championships, Germany has maintained the narrow but consistent edge, usually winning by fractions of a second through cleaner transitions and more stable cumulative splits. Austria has closed that gap, however, particularly when their doubles leg gains time on Germany’s pair.

The head-to-head dynamic often comes down to whether Austria can maintain that advantage through the women’s and men’s singles legs. Latvia typically sits just behind this duel, waiting for errors rather than outright outracing both giants.

Match analytics

Undisputed gold favorite is Germany — unmatched depth, consistency, and relay execution precision. The primary challenger is Austria — capable of winning if they maximize speed in doubles and avoid transition mistakes.

Tip: Winner: Germany (look for odds on IRWIN Casino).

Note: Luge has been among the first Milano Cortina disciplines to appear in online bookies’ offers; however, team relay markets aren’t out yet, unlike singles and doubles.