ITALY, — Three sliding sports—bobsled, skeleton and luge—will take center stage at the Winter Games, with athletes reaching speeds approaching 90 mph on icy tracks.

Bobsled combines elements of Formula One and NASCAR racing on ice, with torpedo-shaped sleds accelerating to about 90 mph. Each sled requires a team for design, fabrication and maintenance. Competitions include two-person events for men and women, a four-person event for men and a monobob event for women, where a single athlete handles all responsibilities.

Skeleton features athletes racing headfirst on flat sleds at speeds between 80 and 87 mph. Both men’s and women’s individual events will be held, along with a mixed team competition debuting this year.

Luge is the fastest of the sliding sports, with competitors lying on t

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