The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo are officially history. Two weeks full of emotions, top performances and unforgettable moments in one of the most beautiful settings winter sports has to offer. The Dolomites as a stage set, world-class athletes as the main actors – Milano Cortina 2026 offered winter sports the biggest possible stage.
But when the flame goes out and the medals are awarded, the real analysis begins for us at LOBECO. Because in our #SportsDataZone, we don’t just look at times, points and placings – we also take a closer look at what happens behind the scenes in the digital world. This time the focus is on the Instagram follower numbers of the medal winners from the German Ski Association (DSV) and Swiss-Ski – each presented as a top 5 ranking.
DSV: A colorful mix of disciplines and digital reach
The German Ski Association’s follower ranking reflects the impressive breadth of German winter sports. From biathlon and ski jumping to alpine skiing – the top 5 come from very different disciplines.
Franziska Preuß tops the list with almost 170,000 Instagram followers – and that’s more than just a number. Preuß ended her active career after the Olympic Games. With a bronze medal in the team competition, however, she was able to treat herself to a more than worthy farewell. One last exclamation mark on the biggest stage in winter sports – and the fans thanked her with their attention. Emma Aicher is a prime example of a rising star. The alpine specialist returned from Milan and Cortina with two silver medals in her luggage, catapulting her not only into the sporting but also the digital public eye. Her follower growth during the Olympic phase was remarkable – and is unlikely to have peaked for a long time yet. Vanessa Voigt, Philipp Nawrath and Philipp Raimund complete the ranking in 3rd to 5th place. Raimund in particular provided one of the most emotional stories of these Games with his sensational Olympic victory on the normal hill – and his follower curve also tells this story impressively. An Olympic victory is not only reflected in the medal tally, but also in digital visibility.
Swiss-Ski: Alpine dominance – on the slopes and on Instagram
On the Swiss side, the picture is somewhat different. Here, one sport reigns almost unchallenged: skiing – whether alpine or freestyle.
Marco Odermatt , the best skier of recent years, not only dominates the World Cup, but also the Swiss-Ski social media ranking with an impressive 626,000 Instagram followers. He also delivered at the 2026 Olympics: two silver medals, one bronze – and another chapter in a career that already has legendary status. Franjo von Allmen – the “King of Bormio” – made a name for himself at these Games. Triple Olympic gold was the Swiss athlete’s answer to all those who had not yet had his rise on their radar. After this Olympic performance, that changed forever – his follower count also speaks for itself. Mathilde Gremaud brings the freestyle component to the Swiss-Ski ranking. She also benefited from a gold medal at the Games and the associated strong growth in her digital community.
What the figures tell us
The follower rankings after the Olympics are more than just a popularity contest. They show which athletes tell stories that go beyond sport – farewells, breakthroughs, sensations. Whether it’s Franziska Preuß’ emotional end to her career, Emma Aicher’s steep rise or Philipp Raimund’s fairytale victory on the ski jump: the Olympics are a catalyst for digital reach – and those who are present in this moment grow.
This is exactly what makes the #SportsDataZone format so exciting: we combine sports results with data from the digital world and show what’s behind the numbers.
The season continues!
Even though the Olympic Games are history, the winter sports winter is far from it. There are still some exciting decisions and thrilling races to come in the World Cup. We are keeping our fingers crossed for a strong finish to the season for all athletes!
And of course we’ll stay tuned – with further analyses, rankings and insights in the #SportsDataZone.
Author: Maximilian Folberth
