Ducati has always been obsessed with competition. It’s kind of their whole thing. From dominating on the MotoGP and World Superbike grids, to going all in on off road and motocross, and now even pushing hard into high end performance cycling, the brand doesn’t really know how to show up unless winning is part of the plan. It sounds wild, but it also tracks perfectly with how Ducati’s always operated.
That competitive mindset just showed up in a very different setting, with two of its off road riders playing key roles in the Olympic torch relay for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.
The interesting thing here is how grounded the whole thing looks. There were no bikes, no engines, no spectacles present beyond the moment itself. Just elite racers doing something symbolic, on foot and in front of massive crowds. Alessandro Lupino kicked things off in Rome, becoming one of the first torchbearers after departing the CONI building with the Olympic flame.
“I’m very proud to have been a torchbearer as I left the CONI building and to have been among the first to carry the Olympic torch,” Lupino said. “I didn’t expect to be so moved by doing so, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I’ll also be at the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, and I know it’ll be unforgettable.”
From there, the torch began its journey across Italy, covering about 7,456 miles with 10,000 torchbearers taking part. Lupino comes into the moment with plenty of momentum, having won eight Italian motocross titles and finishing runner up in the 2025 Italian MX2 Championship aboard Ducati’s Desmo250 MX.
Nine days later, the flame reached Sicily, where Antonio Cairoli took over. The nine time world champion carried the torch through Palermo before lighting the Olympic cauldron in front of the Politeama Theatre, with a huge crowd on hand.
“It was a great honor to bring the Olympic flame to Sicily and light the cauldron right in my homeland,” Cairoli said. “Running through the streets of Palermo with the torch was truly emotional, and I wish all the Italian athletes the best of luck at the 2026 Winter Games.”
Source: Ducati
