Milano Cortina 2026 delivered its first true jaw-dropper Monday night — and it came from a partnership that didn’t even exist a year ago.
Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, newly united under the French flag, stormed into the Olympic ice dance lead after the rhythm dance, igniting the Milano Ice Skating Arena and flipping pre-Games predictions on their head.
Skating to electrifying remixes of Madonna’s “Vogue,” the duo delivered a performance that was equal parts precision and swagger. Sharp voguing poses. Lightning-fast twizzles. A rotational lift that seemed to hang in the air forever. When their score — 90.18 — flashed on the screen, it marked a personal best and their first time breaking the 90-point barrier.
And just like that, the Olympic favorites were looking up.
The French pair holds a razor-thin 0.46-point advantage over three-time world champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States (89.72), with Canada’s Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (86.18) lurking in third. The free dance promises a showdown worthy of Olympic lore.
A Comeback No One Saw Coming
For 31-year-old Cizeron, this moment feels almost surreal. The Beijing 2022 Olympic champion — who dominated the sport for years alongside Gabriella Papadakis — retired at the peak of his career. Five world titles. Multiple European crowns. Olympic gold. Legacy secured.
Or so it seemed.
Meanwhile, Fournier Beaudry, 33, found herself in competitive limbo after turmoil surrounding her former partnership in Canada. A decorated skater with years of international success, she suddenly faced an uncertain future.
Then came a phone call. A bold idea. A new beginning.
The pair announced their partnership in March 2025, switching Fournier Beaudry’s allegiance to France and instantly becoming one of the most talked-about stories in figure skating. Fewer than five international competitions later, they’re leading the Olympic Games.
“It’s bonus time,” Cizeron said earlier this week. “We thought our careers were over. Now we’re here — and we came to win.”
Precision Under Pressure
Skating sixth in a field of 23, Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron set a standard that proved untouchable. They maxed out their twizzles and rotation lift, upgraded their pattern dance step sequence to level four, and combined technical sharpness with unmistakable chemistry.
French athletes in the crowd leapt to their feet, flags waving as the score held. Even the heavily favored Americans couldn’t quite match the French duo’s technical edge and performance components.
The margin may be microscopic — less than half a point — but momentum matters. And right now, momentum belongs to France.
A Free Dance for the Ages
Wednesday’s free dance will test endurance, artistry, and nerve. Chock and Bates bring experience and emotional depth. Gilles and Poirier have the potential to surge. But all eyes remain on the comeback king and his fearless new partner.
In just months, they’ve won Grand Prix events, captured European gold, and finished runner-up at the Grand Prix Final. Now, they stand on the brink of rewriting Olympic history.
Social media has erupted with reactions — from awe at Cizeron’s seamless return to admiration for Fournier Beaudry’s reinvention on the world stage. The chemistry, fans say, feels effortless. The ambition, unmistakable.
Milano Cortina 2026 is still young. But one thing is already certain:
This isn’t just a medal race.
It’s a story of redemption, reinvention, and the rare magic that happens when two careers collide at exactly the right moment.
The ice is set. The pressure is rising.
And for Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron, the dream is no longer improbable — it’s within reach.
