A ceremony marking 100 days to the opening of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games was held Tuesday at Palazzo Lombardia in Milan, where organizers unveiled the official podiums for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and introduced 12 "digital torchbearers," symbolizing the start of the final stage of preparations for the event.

The 2026 Winter Games will open on February 6, 2026, at Milan's San Siro Olympic Stadium, with around 2,900 athletes expected to take part. It will be Italy's first Winter Olympics in 20 years since Turin 2006, and 70 years after Cortina d'Ampezzo hosted the 1956 edition.

Guests pose with Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games mascots Tina and Milo, along with newly unveiled podiums during a ceremony marking 100 days to the opening of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Palazzo Lombardia in Milan, Italy, Oct. 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardy Region, Giovanni Malago, President of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Foundation and CEO Andrea Varnier attended the ceremony. Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini addressed the event via video link.

Fontana said the Games represented more than a sporting event, describing them as a unifying national project. "Today marks an important milestone on our journey toward the Games. With the unveiling of the podiums, we are shining a spotlight on Lombardy's mountains and vitality. The Olympic torch relay through our region is not just symbolic - it is an invitation to the world to discover our landscapes, hospitality, and culture," he said.

Malago noted that sustainability, inclusion, and long-term social impact are at the core of the Games' preparation. "We want Milan-Cortina 2026 to leave a lasting legacy. Beyond the two months of competition, we aim to promote accessibility, education, sustainability, and gender equality through nationwide initiatives," he said.

The newly unveiled podiums, designed by the Milan-Cortina 2026 Foundation in collaboration with the Italian studio Cavaletti + Pagliariccio, combine wood and metal materials and feature a modular design adaptable to various disciplines. Each podium can host up to ten athletes and includes ramps and anti-fall edges to ensure full accessibility for Paralympic competitors.

The event also announced 12 "digital torchbearers" - social media creators, actors, musicians, and chefs - who will share the torch relay journey through online platforms. For the first time in Olympic history, these digital ambassadors will act as "virtual torchbearers," using social media to connect global audiences with the spirit of the Games and to extend participation beyond physical borders.

The Olympic flame will be lit in Olympia, Greece, on November 26, and will begin its 63-day journey across Italy from Rome on December 6, before arriving at the San Siro Stadium for the Opening Ceremony on February 6. Over 10,000 torchbearers will take part in the relay.