The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic flame began its journey Saturday, setting off from Rome on a relay across Italy.

Olympic swimming champion Gregorio Paltrinieri and fellow summer athletes started off the relay — which marked exactly two months before the February 6 opening ceremony.

Among the torchbearers was Gianmarco Tamberi, the 2020 Olympic high jump champion.

“When they called me to do this, I accepted immediately,” said Tamberi.

“The flame represents our sport, the Olympics, and the values of the Olympics."

“It’s a lot of emotions that gives us the right energy,” said Milan Cortina CEO, Andrea Varnier, commenting on the launch of the relay.

The torch relay, which includes 60 city celebrations, will be in Naples for Christmas and in Bari for New Year’s Eve. It will reach 2006 Olympics host Turin on January 11.

In all, there will be 10,001 torch bearers.

AP video by Veronica Andrea Sauchelli