Milan Cortina: missing flag bearer, his train cancelled
During the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Belgium was supposed to be present with two flag bearers: Maximilien Drion and Hanne Desmet were expected but in the end the banner was carried only by the skater. As communicated by the Belgian Olympic and Inter-Federal Committee (COIB), they cancelled the train that was supposed to take Maximilien Drion to Milan and there were no alternative solutions to allow him to arrive in time. The story obviously made the rounds, and someone suggested that the Belgian team organize transfers further in advance next time.
“Leave a heart in the comments to support Max! Unfortunately, we must inform you that Maximilien Drion was unable to travel to Milan. He was supposed to arrive Friday afternoon by train from Switzerland to carry the flag together with Hanne Desmet but, due to a problem with the train connection, he could not arrive in time for the opening ceremony. Unfortunately, there were no alternative solutions that would have allowed him to arrive in Milan. Maximilian is on his way home and will train for the February 19 competition. He will arrive in Bormio on February 17. Unable to replace the flag bearer, we only saw Hanne Desmet” wrote the Belgian team on Instagram.
Belgium entered the iconic San Siro Stadium in tenth position around 8:50 p.m. A total of fifteen Belgian athletes participated in the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games, and for the first time in the history of the Games, the opening ceremony was held at four different venues, and the Belgian team was represented at three of the four venues. Eleven female athletes were present at Milan’s San Siro, where Hanne Desmet carried the flag.
She was accompanied by Ward Pétré, Stijn Desmet, Tineke den Dulk, Warre Van Damme, Adriaan Dewagtere, Fran Vanhoutte, Isabelle van Elst, Indra Médard, Mathias Vosté, and Nina Pinzarrone. Cortina d’Ampezzo was attended by skeletonist Kim Meylemans and bobsleigh champion Kelly Van Petegem, and Livigno was attended by snowboarders Evy Poppe and Sky Remans.
They were also present.
Even Guido Meda was ecstatic in front of the TV during the Opening Ceremony of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, with “his” Valentino Rossi driving the streetcar that brought President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella to the San Siro, which made him really emotional: “Maybe the passing of time has an effect on the sensitivity of those who undergo it but I was really literally moved.”
