Olympics-Work frenzy marks 100-day countdown to Winter Games
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-01 19:59

The Alps are alive with the sound of pneumatic drills.

One hundred days before the start of the 2006 Winter Olympics, building sites block the roads that criss-cross the mountains. Town squares are being dug up and empty concrete shells will soon become souvenir shops.

"They waited with everything until the last minute," says Ausilia Bocco. She rolls her eyes at the mention of the Games although they will mean brisk trade for her tobacco shop in Pinerolo, which hosts the curling event.

"I'm sure the town will be more beautiful once they're done, but they just left it too late. There are big traffic problems."

Turin's organising committee, TOROC, proudly declare that construction of the Olympic venues -- such as the ski jumps, bobsleigh track and cross-country loop -- is almost finished.

However, work remains to be done on infrastructure and, with winter closing in, there is little time left.

Italy also still needs to solve a legal snag. Under an Italian law adopted in 2000, doping is a criminal offence and can result in a prison term. This clashes with International Olympics Comittee (IOC) rules which list only sports sanctions.

There will be no party music accompanying the building noise when the 100-day countdown starts on Wednesday. TOROC cancelled a planned celebration due to budget problems, replacing it with a work seminar.

"LAST-MINUTE COUNTRY"

Olympic officials remain confident everything will be ready on time for the Games, from February 10 to 26. Last month IOC president Jacques Rogge said "all looks in good shape for an excellent Games in Turin next winter".

Valentino Castellani, head of TOROC, described Italy as "a last-minute country" when asked about sluggish ticket sales in early autumn. He expects sales to accelerate as the event approaches.

The builders and bulldozers dotting the roads around Turin certainly fit its image as an industrial town, the home of carmaker Fiat.

Once the Games start, organisers hope a shower of snow and gold medals will add sparkle to the the first capital city of Italy. Turin often surprises visitors with its elegant architecture, beautifully carved doors, artisan chocolate boutiques and cosy cafes.

Piemonte, the surrounding province, is famous for luxury foods such as white truffles and hefty red wines like Barolo.

Some of the ski resorts, on the other hand, have a proletarian feel.

Sestriere, which will host Alpine skiing, was built up by the Fiat-owning Agnelli family as one of the first ski resorts for the masses and is renowned for circular tower blocks of apartments, likened to tin cans.

Pragelato, a small village made up of a string of mountain chalets, is prettier but still lacks the mulled wine and fur coat charm of resorts such as Cortina, which hosted Italy's last Winter Olympics in 1956.

"The Olympics are certainly something positive and the venues are very avant-garde," said Ubaldo Rei, a hotel owner in Pragelato, while serving dinner to a group of builders in woolly hats and checked shirts.

Rei has good reason to welcome the Olympics -- like most hotels near the main venues, his is fully booked for the Games.