The machine is working. It could well pick up speed quickly. Larry Probst, the president of the American Olympic Committee (USOC), announced it without tongue in cheek last weekend in Colorado Springs: the United States is “interested in organizing the Winter Olympic Games”.

Interested, a very neutral term to suggest what appears to be obvious: whetted its appetite by the victory of Los Angeles in the race for the 2028 Summer Games, the American sports movement wants more. Winter after summer. Or maybe even, who knows, winter before summer.

“Ideally, it will probably be 2030, so that there is no confusion with preparations for Los Angeles 2028,” said Larry Probst, on the second day of the USOC general assembly. Ideally, but not necessarily. The Americans make no secret of it: they have not closed the door to a bid for the Winter Games in 2026.

Above all, the USOC already wants to take a position in the event, possible if not probable, where the IOC finally decides to reproduce for the winter the scenario played for the summer: a double vote 2026-2030 during the Milan session in 2019.

“In that scenario, we certainly want to be part of the conversation,” insisted Larry Probst. “We need to discuss this further with the IOC to better understand the process and timing of a bid,” confirmed Scott Blackmun, executive director of the USOC. The American message is clear: we want the Winter Games, we will be candidates, very quickly or soon. It is now up to the IOC to clarify the rules of the game for us to refine our campaign strategy.

Larry Probst has lifted the veil on the first outlines of a candidacy. A list of interested cities is already being drawn up at the USOC. It includes Denver, Reno-Tahoe, Salt Lake City, plus several other names not yet revealed. In the event that the Americans decide to go for 2026, or for a double vote 2026-2030, the candidate city will be designated before the end of March 2018. The machine is in motion.