The sacred flame for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics was lit in ancient Olympia, Greece, on Wednesday, marking the official countdown to the Games. Due to unfavorable weather conditions, organizers had to relocate the ceremony from the historic Temple of Hera to the nearby Olympia archaeological museum. The traditional method of lighting the flame using a parabolic mirror was replaced by a reserve flame ignited during a sunny rehearsal earlier in the week. This adaptation mirrors the approach taken for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The ceremony was attended by Kirsty Coventry, the newly elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who witnessed the event for the first time in her leadership role. Greek rowing bronze medalist Petros Gaidatzis was chosen as the first torchbearer, stepping in for the injured Greek-American alpine skier AJ Ginnis. The flame will now embark on a 63-day, 12,000-kilometer journey across Italy, passing through major cities and historic sites like Pompeii, before reaching Milan. The Winter Games, scheduled for February 6-22, 2026, will feature events spread across Milan, Cortina, and the Dolomites, with ice sports in Milan and alpine skiing in Bormio and Cortina. Organizers are preparing for potential snow shortages by stockpiling artificial snow, a common practice in Italy, which leads Europe in artificial snow usage. A recent study highlights the alarming decline in natural snow cover in the Italian Alps, underscoring the importance of these preparations.