so...   my 2 cents for this year (unfortunately, I couldn't pick anybody in the last couple of categories because of a lack of time )...   BEST MALE ATHLETE for sportsmen in Olympic sports   #1:  Leon Marchand (Swimming) #2:  Harry Lavreysen (Track Cycling) #3:  Tadej Pogacar (Road Cycling) #4:  Marco Odermatt (Alpine Skiing) #5:  Jannik Sinner (Tennis) #6:  Armand Duplantis (Athletics)     BEST FEMALE ATHLETE for sportswomen in Olympic sports   #1:  Summer McIntosh (Swimming) #2:  Simone Biles (Artistic Gymnastics) #3:  Yaroslava Mahuchikh (Athletics) #4:  Lisa Carrington (Sprint Canoeing) #5:  Beatrice Chebet (Athletics) #6:  Imane Khelif /  Raygun (IOC Circus Farce)    BEST NON-OLYMPIC ATHLETE for athletes in Non-Olympic sports and disciplines   #1:  Shoei Ohtani (Baseball) #2:  Naoya Inoue (Boxing) #3:  Oleksandr Usyk (Boxing) #4:  Patrick Mahomes (American Football) #5:  Jasprit Bumrah (Cricket) #6:  /  Ilia Topuria (Mixed Martial Arts)     BEST PARALYMPIC ATHLETE for athletes with a disability   #1:  Jiang Yuyan (Swimming) #2:  Stefano Raimondi (Swimming) #3:  Catherine Debrunner (Athletics) #4:  Ilhar Boki (Swimming) #5:  Sun Gang (Fencing) #6:  Saysunee Jana (Fencing)     BEST YOUTH ATHLETE for athletes up to 18 years old (born after January 1st, 2006) (including Olympic, Non-Olympic and Paralympic sports)   #1:  Kaylia Nemour (Artistic Gymnastics) #2:  Huang Yuting (Shooting) #3:  Viviana Marton (Taekwondo) #4:  Tara Babulfath (Judo) #5:  Metodej Jilek (Inline & Ice Speedskating) #6:  Sorato Anraku (Sport Climbing)     BEST MEN'S TEAM for national men's teams or groups (including Olympic, Non-Olympic and Paralympic sports)   #1:  United States (Basketball) #2:  Denmark (Handball) #3:  Spain (Football) #4:  India (Cricket) #5:  South Africa (Rugby XV) #6:  Australia Pursuit Team (Track Cycling)     BEST WOMEN'S TEAM for national women's teams or groups (including Olympic, Non-Olympic and Paralympic sports)   #1:  Italy (Volleyball) #2:  United States (Basketball) #3:  Netherlands (Field Hockey) #4:  Norway (Handball) #5:  Japan (Softball) #6:  Canada (Ice Hockey)     BEST DOUBLES/PAIR OR MIXED TEAM for doubles and pairs or mixed teams and groups (including Olympic, Non-Olympic and Paralympic sports)   #1:  Ruggero Tita & Caterina Banti (Sailing) #2:  David Åhman/Jonatan Hellvig (Beach Volleyball) #3:  Ana Patricia & Duda Lisboa (Beach Volleyball) #4:  Fintan McCarty & Paul Donovan (Rowing) #5:  women's 4*100m Medley Relay Team (Swimming) #6:  France Mixed Team (Judo)     BREAKTHROUGH OF THE YEAR for the most improved athlete (aged 19 or over) or national team (including Olympic, Non-Olympic and Paralympic sports)   #1:  Adriana Ruano (Shooting) #2:  Daniel Wiffen (Swimming) #3:  Jasmine Paolini (Tennis) #4:  women's Field Hockey Team #5:  Eleanor Harvey (Fencing) #6:  men's Epee Team (Fencing)     COMEBACK OF THE YEAR for athletes or national teams who made a comeback performance in 2024 (including Olympic, Non-Olympic and Paralympic sports)   #1:  Lisa Vittozzi (Biathlon) #2:  Kristof Milak (Swimming) #3:  Steeve Guerdat (Equestrian) #4:  Tom Daley (Diving) #5:  Sunisa Lee (Artistic Gymnastics) #6:  Therese Johaug (Cross Country Skiing)

The Italian team bought a wax- bus from Sweden before the season and acquired head of their serviceman, so maybe that's the reason? The investment hasn`t been successful so far, because there is still a void beyond Pellegrino and these young skiers aren`t mentally ready for a tough fight.   Once there was a skier from Poland - Justyna Kowalczyk, who fought with the whole coalition of Norwegians at that time: Bjoergen, Johaug etc. Thanks to her strong psyche she was able to win difficult finishes with Bjoergen. Diggins is doing the same now - she gives 120%. This is the only way you can win with Norwegians. Apart from Pellegrino I don't see anyone in our team who has the ambition and the will to fight.

Diggins and Pellegrino have never had great physical conditions but their mental have always been on point. The entire American team is brave and ambitious. On the other hand the Italian team is physically weak and has no ambition. There is no visible will to fight and progress is born in the head- that`s says once Filippo Ganna.

I've send my Stage 1 votes

Any link to watch it live 

I will vote, but on the second stage.

Johaug chasing Diggins will be fun and let's see how long will it take her to catch up, if at all 

What were the coaches doing?  

Swedish meltdown

For now just like a hobby for he.