Despite a few mistakes, Sofia Goggia recorded her fourth downhill success of the season and her 17th World Cup victory in her career on Saturday. On a route that was shortened due to the strong gusts, the Italian was 0.20 seconds faster than Ramona Siebenhofer. Third was the Czech Ester Ledecka (+0.26).
With Mirjam Puchner (+0.37) in fifth and Elisabeth Reisinger (+0.57) in seventh place, two other ÖSV athletes made it into the top ten. Christine Scheyer (13th / +1.05), Stephanie Venier (23rd), Sabrina Maier (25th), Tamara Tippler (26th), Nadine Fest (30th) were further behind. No points went out for Christina Ager (31st), Ricarda Haaser (35th) and Vanessa Nussbaumer (41st).
Siebenhofer from Styria underlined her good form with her second podium finish this World Cup winter. Exactly one week ago, the runner, who was used as an all-rounder, was third in the downhill in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee. Siebenhofer put in a strong finish with a time of 1:07.18 minutes and was therefore unassailable for almost all competitors, some of whom had to struggle with the wind in the final part.
“I had a bit of a headwind in the Super-G part and then really tried to choose an aggressive line, especially in the lower part,” said the 30-year-old on ORF television. “You just need a bit of luck, it’s safe to drive, it’s not dangerous. It’s a bit of a shame that it’s such a short pleasure.”
Puchner noted that “maybe today wasn’t quite such a fair race”. “But actually we have to be happy that we can race. I’m happy that things got better today, I found it extremely difficult in training.” Reisinger was happy about the da capo of her best World Cup result (like in Bansko in 2020): “Unfortunately I wasn’t quite fit in Zauchensee, I caught a bad cold. But I’ve regained my strength in the last few days and feel again fit.”
The start of the route was below the Tofana shot, just after the following jump Duca d’Aosta, gusts of wind made themselves felt for many for the first time. Goggia won, although she was placed far off the ideal line in the middle section and had to turn her skis. “I had so much wind, I couldn’t see the snow,” said the “wild hen” according to her own definition.
The Italian had missed her home World Championships in Cortina last year due to injury, she would have started there as the top favorite in the downhill. A week ago she fell in Zauchensee and afterwards felt pain in the neck area, among other things. “I’m super happy,” said Goggia, who now has six wins of the season. “I think this is my best day of skiing in my entire career.”
The American Breezy Johnson, who is said to have been seriously injured in a fall during training on Friday, was not at the start. Her compatriot Mikaela Shiffrin, who is leading in the overall World Cup, skipped the descent like Slovakia’s Petra Vlhova. On Sunday (11.45 a.m. / live ORF 1) there will be another Super-G in Cortina.
The live ticker to read:
Source: Nachrichten
