The 10 Hottest Winter Olympians Of The Past 10 Winter Games

From:  The Backlot

 2010

Evan Lysacek’s skill is venomous

Right, he never had the magical soundbite powers of Johnny Weir, but Illinois-born figure skater and Dancing with the Stars finalist Evan Lysacek did enjoy a hint of camp during his salad days in Vancouver. He wore a skating costume with sewn-on snakes crawling up his torso. I approve! And I especially approve of all the ensuing photo shoots he did that featured his metallic-looking naked body. Strut away just like that, Evan. Follow your heart. We’ll follow the lightning bolt on your abdomen.

The 10 Hottest Winter Olympians Of The Past 10 Winter Games

From: The Backlot

 2006

Benjamin Raich, the Viennese vamp

This Austrian slalom master picked up two golds at Turin in 2006, but let’s talk more about the important thing he picked up: a major fan in me. Seriously, those full, Thomas Haden Church-y lips. His cool stare. His all. I’d go back to 2006 to experience him again, even if it meant hearing that damn Snow Patrol song for hours on end again.

The 10 Hottest Winter Olympians Of The Past 10 Winter Games

From:  The Backlot

 2002

Apolo Anton Ohno, the handsome hurtler

Ohno isn't just hot because of his smashing gold medal performances at the 2002 and 2006 games (forgiving that bizarre four-person accident on the ice in ’02); his good-time energy and jocular flair are refreshing when juxtaposed against the stilted types who usually populate the games. He’s also got the chops to host a game show on GSN, though when it comes to 500-meter speed skating, you don’t even have a Minute to Win It. Kudos, Ohno.

The 10 Hottest Winter Olympians Of The Past 10 Winter Games

From: The Backlot

 1998

Ross Rebagliati, getting away scot-free and pot-free

No offense to Shaun White, but has there ever been a cuter snowboarder than this guy? That grin is a mile wide and appropriate for Christmas morning. Magnifique. Rebagliati almost had his gold medal revoked at the ’98 games because he tested positive for marijuana usage, but the decision was overturned since there’s no rule against using marijuana. This is a stud’s journey.

The 10 Hottest Winter Olympians Of The Past 10 Winter Games

From: The Backlot

 1994

Sergei Grinkov, the late, luscious skating great

He won gold in ’88 and ’94 with his wife and figure skating partner Ekaterina Gordeeva, but before his untimely death at the age of 28 from a blue-rare genetic disorder linked to premature heart attacks, Sergei Grinkov established himself as an all-time stud worthy of Olympic recognition. Those all-American movie star looks! The perfect hair! The unthinkable costumes! May the gorgeous gent rest.

The 10 Hottest Winter Olympians Of The Past 10 Winter Games

From:  The Backlot

 1992

Bjørn Dæhlie, the crimson cross-country king 

Dæhlie is a cultural icon in his native Norway, which isn't a surprise considering he tallied up 12 Olympic medals (eight gold) and became a very successful businessman in real estate and fashion. But back in Albertville in ’92, he was a redheaded youngster who took no time at all to dominate the games alongside his fellow countryman Vegard Ulvang. He also has the studly side-grin of Robert Redford. And that matters too.

The 10 Hottest Winter Olympians Of The Past 10 Winter Games

From: The Backlot

 1988

The original Jamaican bobsled team

Hot runnings!

Devon Harris, Dudley Stokes, Michael White and last-minute replacement Nelson Stokes riveted audiences at the Calgary Olympics simply by being: They were a bobsled team from Jamaica, a country that has never seen snow. The squad was assembled by a bobsled-savvy impresario, but the team proved to be viable competitors with some speedy starts. Though they didn’t come close to winning anything, the quirky team has endured. Not only did they inspire the highly fictionalized Disney movie Cool Runnings, but a two-man team from Jamaica qualified for the 2014 games. So there! Also: NIIIIICE torsos, gents.

The 10 Hottest Winter Olympians Of The Past 10 Winter Games

From: The Backlot

 1984

Jure Franko, the seminal Slovenian

Pretty damn fancy that the year the Olympics were held in Sarajevo, Jure Franko — a Slovenian — took home Yugoslavia’s first medal in the Winter games. He scored a silver in the giant slalom, and if you don’t think he deserves a gold for beaming like a Mentadent billboard, we have nothing in common.

The 10 Hottest Winter Olympians Of The Past 10 Winter Games

 From: The Backlot

1980

Eric Heiden, sinister speed demon

If you weren't wrapped up in that other “Miracle on Ice” in 1980 (something to do with hockey?), you were watching in awe as Eric Heiden strided away with five gold medals in different speed skating events. What’s not to love about this then-22-year-old’s look? A winsome but wicked smile, a Kristy McNichol haircut, and gorgeous eyes.

The 10 Hottest Winter Olympians Of The Past 10 Winter Games

From: The Backlot

 Strap on your curling skates, because we’re taking a hot trip down a cold memory lane: the 10 hottest men from the past 10 Winter Olympic games.

 1976

John Curry, the balletic Briton

 1976 was a magical time where if you were a male figure skater, you might find yourself dressing like Laurie Partridge in order to win a gold medal. Such was the case with John Curry. 

During the second Innsbruck games, the men’s figure skating competition was a pretty open field, but the British skater known for his balletic style and graceful extensions soundly won with a knockout performance. He’d been outed in a German tabloid before his Olympic triumph, but the media largely ignored his sexual orientation until he gave a tell-all interview in the early ’90s about his AIDS diagnosis. He died in 1994, but he left behind a legacy as the sleek, gay Mick Jagger of the ice.