Antonio Cairoli accompanies the Olympic torch relay

Ahead of the start of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, it's not just winter sports legends who are playing a role. Two names from the motocross world were also featured before the competitions: Antonio Cairolli and Alexander Lupino They participated as torchbearers in the Olympic torch relay, sending a strong message for off-road sports in Italy.

The Winter Games themselves take place from February 6 to February 22, 2026 in Cortina and Milan.

Lupino opened the torch relay in Rome

The torch relay began in Rome – and none other than Alessandro Lupino had the honor of opening it. The eight-time Italian Motocross Champion and runner-up in the 2025 MX2 series was one of the first participants to carry the Olympic torch out of the Italian Olympic Committee building.

The torch relay itself is a monument in itself: 10.000 torchbearers, 12.000-kilometer route, a route across Italy. Lupino was at the beginning of this symbolic journey, which accompanied the Olympic flame step by step towards the north.

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Cairoli brings the flame to Palermo and lights the Olympic flame.

Nine days later, the flame reached Palermo, where Antonio Cairoli, nine-time Motocross World Champion, took over the torch. Cairoli ended the tenth day's stage by lighting the Olympic cauldron in front of the Teatro Politeama – accompanied by the applause of a large crowd.

For Sicily, which has always shaped Cairoli and which has shaped him, it was a special moment. For Italy, it marked the ceremonial return of the Olympic flame, which had last been in the country for the 2006 Winter Games in Turin.

A strong signal for off-road sports

The participation of Cairoli and Lupino demonstrates the enduring appeal of motocross in Italy. Two athletes from a sport that rarely receives Olympic attention were chosen to accompany one of the most symbolic moments leading up to the Winter Games – a sign of the growing recognition of off-road racing and Ducati's commitment to this segment.

More than a mere protocol

The participation of the two Ducati riders is far more than a gesture. It connects the tradition of the Olympic Games with the dynamism of modern motocross. The fact that two such distinguished riders were able to be part of this moment underscores both its national significance and the role Ducati plays in Italian motorsport today – fittingly, given that the Games in February 2026 will once again put Italy at the center of the international sporting world.