Marco Bezzecchi the latest MotoGP star to carry Olympic flame

Several MotoGP riders, past and present, have taken part in the 2026 Winter Olympic torch relay ahead of this year’s Winter Games, which are due to take place in February.

The Winter Games’ return to Italy this year, at Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo (the latter having also hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956), has seen a number of Italian sportspeople carrying the flame in the traditional torch relay from Greece to Milan.

These have included tennis players Jasmine Paolini and Matteo Berettini, footballers Filippo Inzaghi and Andrea Ranocchia, and factory Ferrari FIA World Endurance Championship drivers Antonio Fuoco and Antonio Giovinazzi.

It’s also included a host of motorcycle racers, including MotoGP, WorldSBK, and MotoAmerica race winner (and Dakar stage winner) Danilo Petrucci; four-time 250cc World Champion and two-time WorldSBK Champion Max Biaggi; nine-time Motocross World Champion Tony Cairoli.

The latest additions to this list have been Moto3 team owner Paolo Simoncelli – father of the late 2008 250cc World Champion, Marco Simoncelli – and current factory Aprilia MotoGP rider Marco Bezzecchi who both carried the flame on Monday 5 January.

Two-time MotoGP World Champion Francesco Bagnaia will carry the flame on 11 January, and 15-time World Champion Giacomo Agostini will carry it on the 26th. Off-road veteran Nicola Dutto will also take part in the relay on 10 January.

The 2026 Winter Olympic torch relay is due to end on 6 February in Milan when the Opening Ceremony will take place at the San Siro. The games will run until 22 February.