Filippo Ganna gifted special Olympic honour alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic ahead of 2026 Winter Games in Italy
Cycling
Filippo Ganna has been handed one of the most symbolic roles in the build-up to the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, with the Italian star chosen as the first person to carry the Olympic flame once it is formally passed to the Italian delegation in Athens.
The 29-year-old from INEOS Grenadiers will then be joined in the relay by tennis standout Jasmine Paolini and global football icon Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who will each play their own part in transporting the flame back to Italy. But Ganna has been handed the unique privilege of leading the trio by carrying it first.
Flame to fly from Athens to Rome before Italian relay begins
The ceremony will take place inside the historic Panathenaic Stadium, where the flame will be passed to Ganna and Paolini ahead of its flight to Rome Fiumicino Airport. From there, the Italian leg of the relay gets under way, travelling across the country before arriving at the iconic San Siro for the Winter Games’ opening ceremony on 6 February 2026.
The relay will run until 22 February, marking Italy’s first hosting of a Winter Olympics since Turin 2006 and the first Games to be split between two major regions — Lombardy and the Dolomites — for alpine, ice and endurance events.
Why Ganna? A modern Olympic star with a rare multi-discipline record
Ganna’s selection is far from ceremonial. The 29-year-old has become one of Italy’s defining Olympians of the last decade. On the track, he powered the Italian team pursuit squad to gold at Tokyo 2021, breaking the world record along the way. At Paris 2024, he delivered one of the standout road performances of the Games, claiming silver in the time trial behind Remco Evenepoel and adding bronze in the team pursuit.
His blend of global pedigree, national symbolism and crossover appeal — dominating both time trials and track endurance events — places him in a small group of modern riders with multi-discipline Olympic medals.
Ganna also arrives at this honour during one of the most important career transitions of his recent seasons. While continuing as the cornerstone of Italy’s track programme, he has increasingly doubled down on road ambitions, collecting marquee time-trial victories and eyeing deeper runs in Grand Tour GCs and one-day racing. His prominence makes him an unmistakable ambassador for an Olympics taking place on home soil.
Ganna has been one of Italian cycling's leading lights over the last decade
A moment of national pride ahead of Italy’s biggest sporting event of the decade
Italy’s organising committee has leaned heavily into recognisable national sporting figures to build momentum for Milan–Cortina, and Ganna’s role reinforces his status as one of the country’s most beloved athletes. Carrying the flame from Athens — the symbolic heart of the Olympic movement — is widely regarded as one of the highest honours bestowed on active athletes.
With preparations for the 2026 Winter Games accelerating, Ganna will take centre stage long before any medals are awarded, becoming one of the faces of Italy’s most significant sporting celebration in 20 years.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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⚡️ TOP GANNA! 🚴 @GannaFilippo is officially a Torchbearer for Milano Cortina 2026 and will have the honor of being one of the very first to carry the Torch!! #MilanoCortina2026 #Olympics #TeamTedofori #TorchRelay2026 #FilippoGanna
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