The Azure station will host a stage of the European circuit in late January 2026, just days before the Milan Cortina Games, following the cancellation of a World Cup for geopolitical reasons.
The European snowboard cross elite will arrive at Isola 2000 from January 23 to 25, 2026. The Alpes-Maritimes resort will host a European Cup as part of a compressed international schedule. The last World Cup event will conclude in China on January 17, 2026. Athletes will then head straight to the Southern Alps. This European stage will be among the last competitions before the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Games.
Several nations have confirmed their participation. The list includes France, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Canada, Estonia, Japan, Germany, and the Netherlands. This diversity reflects the sporting interest in the event as the Olympic deadline approaches. The French team will be presented on this occasion. The public will also be able to cheer on Julia Pereira, an Olympic champion from Isola.
An event integrated into Olympic preparation
The European Cup in Isola 2000 will be part of a key sequence of the season. The delegations will have just completed their Asian tour. The passage through China will mark the end of the global circuit. The transition to Europe will be seamless, in a context of advanced preparation. This setup will provide a direct assessment of the current form of the participating teams.
The sporting program will span four days, from Thursday, January 22 to Sunday, January 25, 2026. Training, qualifications, and finals will structure the event. Two distinct competitions, SBX I and SBX II, will pace the weekend. Sixteen women and thirty-two men will reach the finals. The award ceremonies will take place at the finish, immediately after the races.
A European Cup born from an institutional decision
Isola 2000 had canceled the initially planned World Cup snowboard cross stage for the end of January. The cancellation was announced on Friday, November 21. The reasons cited were geopolitical. In a statement, Mylène Agnelli, mayor of Isola, explained: “due to obvious geopolitical considerations […], it appeared impossible for us to host an event whose stakes would become incompatible with the values we uphold in a calm and proper manner.”
This decision followed the choice of the Azerbaijan Tourism Office as the event’s main sponsor by the International Ski Federation. The FIS then announced the cancellation “for organizational reasons” and mentioned ongoing discussions to find an alternative. The decision was made in agreement with the President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, Renaud Muselier, and the President of the Nice Côte d’Azur metropolis, Christian Estrosi, in order to “preserve sporting integrity, the station’s image, and the respect of the ethical commitments to which we are collectively bound.”
Maintaining an international sporting event at Isola 2000
The Nice Côte d’Azur metropolis had reaffirmed its support for the Armenians in their territorial conflict with Azerbaijan, especially after the September 2023 offensive by Baku in the Karabakh enclave. In this context, the partnership between the International Ski Federation and Azerbaijan Tourism no longer ensured an “organization in line with the values of humanity, solidarity, and sporting integrity upheld by the partner communities.”
The communities then mobilized to maintain a major sporting event in the area. Isola 2000 will thus host a stage of the European Cup of snowboard cross, in coordination with French and European sports authorities. Renaud Muselier stated: “The Region has always made exemplarity a marker of its action. Sport must remain a space for gathering, based on the values of humanity and solidarity between peoples. When these values are challenged, we have a duty to take responsibility. This is why we chose to cancel this stage. Our commitment to sport remains total, and we will continue to host ambitious events that respect our territories.”
Christian Estrosi added: “When the principles we defend are put to the test, it is the responsibility of public actors like us to act with clarity and consistency. By canceling this stage, we reaffirm our values of humanity in the face of a concerning situation. True to our convictions, we continue to promote exemplary sport, respectful of peoples and the spirit that animates it.”
