The news that we reported a few days ago has gone around Italy, but certainly more curious is the world tour that Marco Pantani's earring has made to end up on Emilien Jacquelin's earlobe and especially on the stage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games.

An Italian tour that from Romagna passed through the Provincia Granda - thanks to a man who acted as a link between the Pantani family and Jacquelin - to cross into France and then conclude in Anterselva, in the Italian (and Olympic) biathlon times.

The man in question is Sergio Piumetto, who since 2007 has been cultivating Marco's memory in agreement with the family and the Pantani Foundation: many initiatives, events, and even the "Pantani channel" on Instagram: every week he uploads a photo of the Pirate and receives hundreds of contacts each time, especially from abroad.

And among these social contacts, Piumetto notices one that is very discreet but persistent over time: he looks at the profile and discovers it's a skier, Jacquelin. But not just any skier: he has already been five-time world biathlon champion with two Olympic medals in his trophy case. The dialogue begins until in October comes a request that catches Sergio off guard: "Only you can ask mom Tonina: I would like Marco's earring for the Olympics".

Piumetto recounts having tried, hesitated, waited, and then made the request. With an equally surprising response: "Yes, I'll give it to you".
End of story? Not at all: Piumetto goes to Cesenatico to pick up the earring, has it cleaned, keeps it safe and reveals nothing to anyone.

Then last Monday he shows up at Jacquelin's house under the pretext of a good luck greeting for the Games: he pulls out the earring, Emilien is moved and... is even more moved when Tonina and Paolo Pantani's video call arrives.

Jacquelin told the story in a press conference and then wrote on Instagram: "Thank you to Tonina and Paolo Pantani, thank you to Sergio Piumetto the 'little Emilien' has realized his greatest dream: to race the Olympics in Italy with Marco by his side. He won't be the only one with me, but his idea of competition, audacity, spirit, the courage to attack when no one else dares".

Today Jacquelin was the absolute protagonist of the 10 km Sprint event: a high-level race with the first five at the finish line who didn't miss a single shot out of the 10 planned. A race in which Jacquelin was on the podium for a long time before finishing fourth behind his compatriot Fillon Maillet and the Norwegian Christiansen and Laegreid. Jacquelin saw his podium dream vanish by two-tenths of a second, not even the Pantani-style gesture helped when he removed his cap and glasses throwing them on the snow, just like Pantani used to do when removing his bandana.

Jacquelin didn't win a medal, but he certainly paid tribute to his idol Pantani in the best way: giving everything he had. And anyway, the Olympics - and with them the journey of the Pirate's earring - are not over yet...