A few weeks before the start of the relay, Milan-Cortina 2026 has revealed the names of the first bearers of the Olympic flame, which will cross Italy from December to FebruaryTwo Italian sports stars will be in the spotlight: the tennis player Flavia Pennetta, big winner of the 2015 US Open (pictured here), and MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia. The artist Achille Lauro, singer and actor, was also selected. Three remarkable personalities united by the same spirit: the passion and values of the Olympic Movement " insists the organizing committee.
Three other names have been announced. Dario Pivirotto, born in 1936, will carry the flame for the third time after having already participated in 1956 and 2006. Milan-Cortina 2026 also wanted to highlight the social impact of several citizens: Franco Antonello, founder of an association for the inclusion of people with disabilities, will carry the flame with his son Andrea, who has autism, just like Chef Lucia Tellone, which has breathed new life into Villa San Sebastiano Nuova, the village of 700 inhabitants where she comes from, in the Abruzzo region. She reopened a bakery there in 2020 and Milan-Cortina 2026 wanted to salute this initiative, which is essential for the local community.
