Gregorio Paltrinieri Launches Torch Relay for Milan Cortina Olympics

The torch relay for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics officially began on Saturday, marking a two-month countdown to the opening ceremony scheduled for February 6, 2024. Olympic swimming champion Gregorio Paltrinieri had the honor of lighting the torch at the historic Stadio dei Marmi, located within the Foro Italico in Rome. This relay will cover an impressive distance of 12,000 kilometers (nearly 7,500 miles) across all 110 Italian provinces.

The torch relay features a total of 10,001 torch bearers, including notable athletes such as tennis player Matteo Berrettini, retired NBA player Andrea Bargnani, and former motorcycle racer Max Biaggi. The event is designed to engage communities, with celebrations planned in 60 cities along the route. Following the launch in Rome, the torch will make its way to Viterbo on Sunday and Terni on Monday.

Special Highlights Along the Relay Route

The relay will include significant stops, including a festive celebration in Naples on Christmas and another in Bari for New Year’s Eve. The torch will reach the city of Turin, the site of the 2006 Winter Olympics, on January 11, 2024. Notably, it will arrive in Verona on January 18, contributing to the excitement leading up to the games.

One particularly symbolic moment will occur on January 26, as the torch passes through Cortina d’Ampezzo, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the opening ceremony of the 1956 Winter Olympics. A cauldron will be lit in Cortina that evening to commemorate this milestone.

The upcoming Winter Games will be hosted across various locations in northern Italy. Events will be staged in four main venues: snowboarding and freestyle skiing in Livigno, ski jumping in Predazzo, skating sports in Milan, Alpine skiing and ski mountaineering in Bormio, and women’s Alpine skiing, sliding sports, and curling in Cortina.

As the torch relay progresses, it is set to generate excitement and anticipation for the Winter Games, uniting athletes and spectators across Italy and beyond. With the culmination of this historic event just two months away, the focus now shifts to the athletes who will compete on this global stage.