CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — German bobsled star Laura Nolte has positioned herself as the woman to beat at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, holding a commanding lead in the women’s monobob competition following the first two heats on Sunday, February 15, 2026.
Nolte, the 2023 and 2024 World Champion, demonstrated why she entered the Games as the top-ranked pilot. Navigating the Eugenio Monti Olympic Sliding Center with precision, she finished her first two runs in a combined time of 1 minute, 59.12 seconds. Her performance has established a 0.22-second cushion over her nearest rival, American veteran Elana Meyers Taylor.
Olympic Standings After Run 2
The competition remains tight as the world’s elite pilots chase the German leader. The current top three standings heading into the final day of competition are:
- 1. Laura Nolte (GER): 1:59.12
- 2. Elana Meyers Taylor (USA): +0.22s
- 3. Kaillie Humphries Armbruster (USA): +0.31s
Nolte’s consistency was the story of the day. After entering the second run with a slim 0.05-second lead, she executed a near-flawless second heat to widen the gap. “Big improvement there for Laura Nolte… she remains in the lead and has increased her lead,” reported analysts following the second heat.
A Legacy in the Making
At 27 years old, Nolte is already a decorated figure in the sport. She made history at the Beijing 2022 Games as the youngest Olympic champion in bobsleigh history. Since then, she has dominated the IBSF World Cup circuit, winning nearly every race in the 2024-25 campaign and securing the overall World Cup title.
While Nolte is the defending Olympic champion in the two-woman bobsleigh, the monobob—a solo event—presents a different challenge. Her primary competition comes from a resurgent U.S. team. Elana Meyers Taylor and Kaillie Humphries Armbruster, both multi-time Olympic medalists, remain within striking distance with two heats remaining.
What’s Next?
The final two heats of the women’s monobob are scheduled for Monday, February 16, 2026. While Nolte holds the advantage, the technical nature of the Cortina track means any small error could shift the podium. Recent reports indicate that while Nolte led through Sunday, the pressure from the American sleds is intense as they “give chase” for the gold medal.
Following the conclusion of the monobob event, Nolte is expected to shift her focus to the two-woman bobsleigh event, where she and brakewoman Deborah Levi are favorites to defend their 2022 gold medal.