Valentino Rossi makes Italy Winter Olympics appearance

Valentino Rossi made a brief appearance in the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony, driving a tram for the Italian President.

Sergio Mattarella became President of Italy in 2015, somewhat ironically given the meaning of that year to Rossi, who was shown in a pre-recorded, dramatised video of the Italian President arriving in Milan for the Opening Ceremony at the San Siro. 

Mattarella’s actual arrival allowed him to declare the 2026 Winter Games open, despite the fact competition had been ongoing for several days by Friday evening.

Nine-time motorcycling world champion Rossi is the latest high profile Italian motorcycle racer to take part in the lead up to the 2026 Milano Cortina WInter Olympics after MotoGP riders Marco Bezzecchi and Francesco Bagnaia were among the torch bearers in the flame’s journey from Greece to northern Italy, as well as Paolo Simoncelli, two-time WorldSBK Champion Max Biaggi, and nine-time motocross world champion Tony Cairoli.

The Italian was also not alone in being one of Italy’s most recognisable athletes with a part in the official opening day of the Winter Games (whose competitions began on Wednesday with Mixed Doubles Curling and Ice Hockey), as four-time tennis Grand Slam Champion and current ATP World No. 2 Jannik Sinner (whose initial career path as a child was set out in downhill skiing) moonlighted as a ticket steward. Sinner was also due to be a part of the Opening Ceremony itself, but pulled out to focus on preparing for the ATP 500 tournament in Doha instead, according to reports in the tennis media.

In the Games themselves, it's been a decent start for Italy, whose Mixed Doubles Curling team won three of their opening four matches, and who were able to score two medals in the Men's Alpine Skiing Downhill event thanks to Giovanni Franzoni (silver) and Dominik Paris (bronze).

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