Alberto Tomba named final torchbearer of Milano Cortina 2026 A historic Olympic role for an Italian legend

Alberto Tomba will be the final torchbearer of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. The legend of Italian skiing will, on February 6, light the Olympic cauldron at the end of the opening ceremony scheduled at San Siro. An honor and a role traditionally reserved for historic figures of the Olympic Games, both Summer and Winter, such as Muhammad Ali (Atlanta 1996), Michel Platini (Albertville 1992), and Cathy Freeman (Sydney 2000). In the Italian editions of the Winter Olympics, Tomba now joins Guido Caroli (Cortina 1956) and Stefania Belmondo (Turin 2006).

Winner of three gold medals and two silver medals across three Olympic editions (Calgary 1988, Albertville 1992, and Lillehammer 1994), Tomba is without question the most famous and successful Italian skier of all time. A truly popular figure, capable of transcending the boundaries of sport to become a cultural icon. One episode remains legendary: on February 27, 1988, during the Calgary Winter Olympics, Italian national broadcaster RAI chose to interrupt the final night of the Sanremo Music Festival to air the second run of the Men’s Slalom, where Tomba went on to claim Olympic gold.

The appointment of Alberto Tomba as final torchbearer represents the ultimate confirmation of the success of a carefully orchestrated relaunch of his media presence. This is not merely an honorary role, but the culmination of a strategic journey that began around a year and a half ago. The winning intuition came from Napapijri, which succeeded in crafting a new narrative around Tomba’s sporting and cultural legacy. His designation as final torchbearer at an event of such magnitude—the Winter Olympic Games on Italian soil—is no coincidence: it stands as a seal of approval, certifying that Tomba is once again perceived not only as an icon of the past, but as an active, vibrant symbol of Italian excellence. The myth of a champion, brought back to life.