OLYMPICS: Torch arrives in co-host Cortina on anniversary of 1956 Games

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — The Olympic torch relay reached the co-host city of Cortina d’Ampezzo on Monday, arriving in the Dolomite town on the 70th anniversary of the opening of the 1956 Winter Games.

Cortina is set to share the global spotlight with Milan next month, as both cities serve as the main bases for the 2026 Winter Olympics, scheduled to run from February 6 to 22.

Italian Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini was expected to welcome the torch relay in the center of Cortina on Monday evening. The relay marked the 50th leg of its journey across Italy, a campaign aimed at increasing excitement and public interest ahead of the Games.

Earlier Monday, the relay passed through Vajont, a region known for a tragic disaster in 1963. A massive mountain landslide triggered flooding that claimed an estimated 1,900 lives.

Cortina will host several key Olympic events, including:

Women’s Alpine skiing races

Bobsleigh

Luge

Skeleton

Curling

These events will take place at the newly rebuilt Eugenio Monti sliding center.

Salvini, leader of the League coalition party, supported the reconstruction of the sliding center, which cost around 118 million euros ($140 million). The project faced opposition from critics who raised concerns about its environmental impact and questioned whether it would remain useful after the Olympics.

Construction teams have also been working to complete a new cable car system in Cortina, designed to improve access to the ski slopes for spectators.

Despite having a resident population of only about 5,000 people, Cortina has long been a favorite destination for wealthy skiers and tourists.

The town has also served as a filming location for major movies, including the 1960s comedy “The Pink Panther.”

(Exchange rate: $1 = 0.8432 euros) -Writing by Keith Weir, editing by Ed Osmond/Reuters