Preparations for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics ratcheted up Thursday on the eve of the opening ceremony, while the start of the ice hockey competition was hit by an outbreak of norovirus.

The most geographically dispersed Games in history officially start with an opening ceremony at the San Siro in Milan on Friday that will also take place in the three other sites spread across the Dolomites.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Milan to attend the ceremony, which will feature performances by singer Mariah Carey and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.