Stefania Belmondo, Italy’s cross-country superstar of the 1990s and early 2000s, reflects on her remarkable career, the rivals who shaped it, and the medals that slipped away.

In a candid interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, the 56-year-old admits she could have achieved even more without the shadow of doping in her sport.

“Without pointing fingers, I would have won more”

Belmondo, who retired after the 2002 Olympics, does not shy away from addressing one of the sport’s darkest chapters.

“Without pointing fingers, I would have won much more. There was doping in Russia, but also in Finland, as we have seen. But now I’m at peace,” she says.

Rivalry with Välbe

At the 1997 World Championships in Trondheim, Belmondo earned four silver medals, each time finishing behind Russia’s Yelena Välbe, who swept all five golds.

“It hurts. Sometimes, it was just a matter of centimeters. Elena was the strongest ever. I even visited her in Russia. But I don’t talk politics with her. I have made peace with it,” Belmondo explains.

Olympic and World Championship triumphs

Nicknamed the “Little Tornado” and standing just 158 cm tall, Belmondo won two individual Olympic gold medals — in Albertville 1992 and Salt Lake City 2002, the latter after overcoming serious injuries.

She also captured two World Championship titles, both in Ramsau in 1999, the year after Välbe retired. Today, Välbe serves as president of the Russian Ski Federation, while Russian athletes have been banned from international competition since 2022.

A bitter memory in the World Cup

Belmondo’s best overall World Cup finish came in the 1998/1999 season. She ended equal on points with Norway’s Bente Martinsen (now Skari) but lost the crystal globe on the tie-break of number of victories.

“I think it was unfair. But I’m over it now,” she recalls.

Regret about Turin 2006

Belmondo ended her career after the 2002 Olympics. Looking back, she admits some regret at not competing in the 2006 Winter Games on home soil in Turin.

“I had already become a mother. But I regret a bit that I stepped away at my peak. I couldn’t have been 100 percent professional anymore. And when I competed, I gave everything to skiing.”

From the trails to the page

After her competitive career, Belmondo moved into television, working as a commentator for the Italian broadcaster RAI. This autumn, she is releasing her autobiography.

“With the 2026 Olympics ahead, it’s a way for me to make peace with what has happened. But I also talk about values in sport and life,” she says.

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