Giorgio Di Centa of Italy celebrates a world championship win in February in Liberec, Czech Republic. Giorgio Di Centa of Italy celebrates a world championship win in February in Liberec, Czech Republic. (Michal Cizek/AFP/Getty Images)

Cross-country skier Giorgio Di Centa has been selected as Italy's flag-bearer for the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics.

Di Centa won the gold medal in the prestigious 50-kilometre race and was a member of Italy's team that won the 40-kilometre relay at the 2006 Turin Games. He took silver with the relay team at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

Italian Olympic Committee president Giovanni Petrucci made the announcement Wednesday at a ceremony marking 100 days to the Feb. 12 to 28 Games.