Emily Harrop vs. Margot Ravinel Prediction on February 19, 2026

Match info

The women’s sprint is one of the headline moments of ski mountaineering’s Olympic debut at Milano-Cortina 2026. Unlike the longer endurance formats, the sprint condenses everything skimo stands for into just a few minutes: explosive uphill power, lightning-fast transitions, technical downhill control, and tactical positioning through multiple knockout heats. Because athletes race head-to-head and must survive rounds before reaching the final, consistency under pressure matters as much as peak speed. As a brand-new Olympic discipline, this event also carries additional unpredictability, which will certainly be reflected in Milano Cortina 2026 odds launched by online sportsbooks rated by Bookmaker Expert.

When:
The women’s sprint final is scheduled for Thursday, February 19, 2026, with racing at around 13:55 local time (Central European Time, CET).

Where:
The event is held at the Stelvio Ski Centre in Bormio, Italy, a venue that rewards technical precision as much as raw climbing power, especially on the descent and in tight transition zones.

Meeting statistics

Current form and & playstyle: Emily Harrop
The French skimo racer enters the Olympics as the biggest favorite in the women’s sprint. Her defining strength is efficiency under sustained stress: she moves through transitions with almost no wasted motion and maintains a high cadence without spiking effort too early.

Harrop’s sprint style is built for knockout formats — she can win a heat cleanly, recover quickly, and still look composed when it matters most in the final. On a technical course like Bormio, that economy of movement is often the difference between gold and silver.

Current form & playstyle: Margot Ravinel
Right behind Harrop is her compatriot Margot Ravinel, who has emerged as the second-biggest favorite thanks to her rapid rise in sprint-specific results.

Ravinel is more aggressive than Harrop, especially on the uphill section, where she isn’t afraid to commit early and force rivals to respond. Her racing has a sharper edge — higher risk, higher reward — and when her transitions are clean, she can match or even exceed Harrop’s raw speed. The Olympic sprint format suits her perfectly if she manages her effort across heats and avoids small technical errors.

Dark horse:
The dark horse to watch is Giulia Murada, racing on home snow. She may not carry the same international favorite label, but her familiarity with Italian terrain and her comfort in technical downhill sections give her real potential to upset. She tends to race with patience, staying close in the early phases before attacking late — a style that can pay off if the final becomes chaotic or if favorites make mistakes under pressure. With the added lift of a home crowd, Murada is a genuine podium spoiler.

Head-to-head
Recent sprint showdowns point to a Harrop–Ravinel duel as the most likely final-round storyline. Harrop usually gains time through cleaner transitions and controlled pacing, while Ravinel looks to create separation with aggressive climbing and decisive downhill lines. When they meet head-to-head, the difference often comes down to who exits transitions first rather than who skis fastest overall. Murada typically slots just behind that battle but has shown she can close gaps quickly if the leaders hesitate, particularly on technical sections late in the course.

Match analytics

Emily Harrop remains the most reliable pick for Olympic gold due to her consistency across multiple heats. Margot Ravinel is the primary challenger and the most likely athlete to flip the result if she executes a clean, high-intensity final. Giulia Murada profiles as the strongest dark horse, especially if the race turns tactical or mistake-prone.

Tip: Who Will Win: Emily Harrop – Yes (check out odds on BetLabel).

Note: Ski mountaineering is one of the few disciplines without released betting lines, even though the 2026 Winter Olympics begin in just a few weeks.