The Opening Ceremony at the Winter Olympics is one of the event’s great traditions. On Friday, February 6, 2026, that spectacle unfolded across four Italian locations, from the iconic San Siro Stadium in Milan to the mountain venues of Cortina, Livigno, and Predazzo, celebrating the official start of the Milano Cortina Games. However, there was a visible gap among one national team.

As reported by RMC Sport, the Belgian squad faced a massive problem: “Belgium… without its flag bearer! Designated as flag bearer alongside Hanne Desmet, Maximilien Drion missed the opening ceremony of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics due to… a train problem.” (translated from French)

Indeed, while speed skater Hanne Desmet was at the ceremony, Maximilien Drion was nowhere to be seen. So what really happened? Drion was unable to reach Milan from his training base in Switzerland in time for the ceremony after encountering severe disruptions with train connections.

Team Belgium later provided a full explanation on Instagram, stating, “Unfortunately, we have to inform you that Maximilien Drion will not be able to travel to Milan today. Maximilien was supposed to arrive this afternoon by train from Switzerland. He was travelling to attend the opening ceremony as flagbearer to return to Switzerland again tomorrow. However, due to problems with train connections, he can no longer make it in time for the opening ceremony, despite having explored various alternatives.”

The official statement confirmed that Maximilien is already on his way back home to focus on his preparation for his competition on a later date of February 19 and will travel to Bormio on the 17th. They also confirmed that Desmet will be the sole flag bearer for the Belgian team at the Winter Olympics.

“I am with the entire Belgian team for this opening ceremony. I wish Hanne the best. She is a strong woman, she will be able to carry this flag alone. Now I’m focusing on my race,” Drion said on social media in support of his fellow Belgian athlete. (translated from French) However, this hasn’t derailed their Olympic hopes in Milano Cortina.

They are still up for the Winter Olympics

Representing Belgium in two distinct disciplines, Hanne Desmet and Maximilien Drion are the athletes to watch out for. Indeed, they have arrived at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics with the hopes of securing a few medals.

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Desmet, a 29-year-old short-track speed skater, is already a Belgian icon for winning the nation’s first individual Winter Olympic medal back at the Beijing Games in 2022 in the 1000m. Her resume carries multiple medals in the European Championships, including two titles, making her a top contender in her discipline.

Meanwhile, 28-year-old Drion is a rising force in vertical race formats, with him being a consistent World Cup podium finisher and a two-time silver medalist at the World Championships. With both athletes on their roster, Team Belgium is looking forward to achieving medal finishes at the sport’s grandest stage.