ROME (AP) — The torch relay for the Milan Cortina Winter Games officially commenced on Saturday, marking precisely two months until the opening ceremony scheduled for February 6, 2026. The first torchbearer, Olympic swimming champion Gregorio Paltrinieri, carried the sleek Olympic torch around the track of the Stadio dei Marmi at the Foro Italico in Rome, kicking off a significant journey of 12,000 kilometers (nearly 7,500 miles).
The torch's route will travel through all 110 Italian provinces before culminating at Milan's iconic San Siro Stadium for the grand opening ceremony. In total, the relay will feature 10,001 torchbearers, sharing the honor of carrying the flame throughout various cities.
Among those set to carry the torch on Saturday in Rome were tennis star Matteo Berrettini, retired NBA player Andrea Bargnani, and former motorcycle racer Max Biaggi. The relay will encompass 60 city celebrations, with notable stops planned for Naples during Christmas and Bari for New Year’s Eve. The torch will reach Turin, which hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics, on January 11, 2026, further embedding the Olympic spirit across Italy.
The torch is set to arrive in Verona on January 18, and it will pass through Cortina d’Ampezzo on January 26, which notably marks the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Winter Olympics opening ceremony held at the same venue in the beautiful Dolomites region. As the opening ceremony approaches, a cauldron will be lit in Cortina on the night of the event.
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be celebrated across a vast area of northern Italy, with the ceremony being observed at four different locations. Skiing events, including men’s Alpine skiing and ski mountaineering, will take place in Bormio, while women’s Alpine skiing, sliding sports, and curling will be held in Cortina. Additionally, skating sports will be hosted in Milan, while snowboarding and freestyle skiing events are scheduled for Livigno and ski jumping will take place in Predazzo.
As the torch relay continues, the next stops include Viterbo on Sunday followed by Terni on Monday, solidifying the commitment and enthusiasm of the Italian people toward hosting the upcoming Winter Games.
