The International Olympic Committee has set a deadline for the end of next month for pre-certification of the Cortina track. There is a Plan B option that would require moving bobsled, luge and skeleton events all the way to Lake Placid, New York, if it isn’t finished in time.

Alpine skiing will be divided between Cortina (for the women’s events) and Bormio (for the men) — which are separated by a 5 ½-hour drive. Livigno will host freestyle skiing and snowboarding, biathlon will be in Anterselva, Nordic events will be in Val di Fiemme and ice sports in Milan.

Italy began the one-year countdown to the Winter Olympics on Thursday with a series of events designed to fuel enthusiasm for the Games that will be co-hosted by Milan and the Alpine town of Cortina d'Ampezzo.