Bormio, Alexander the fastest in the second round. Tomorrow's Downhill
Best time for the Canadian in the last time trial, well Casse (7th) and Paris (8th). Falls for Sarrazin (leading up to that point) and Zazzi. Tomorrow at 11:30 am the awaited challenge on the Stelvio track.
On the Stelvio, the moment of truth is approaching. Tomorrow, Saturday, December 28 at 11:30 a.m., Bormio ‘s iconic slope will host one of the most anticipated Downhill races of the entire season.
This day, Friday, December 27, the second time trial again shuffled the cards, putting Canadian Cameron Alexander in the spotlight, first in 1:55.13, ahead of Swiss Rogentin and Austrian Babinsky. The course, technical and challenging as always, put the athletes’ physiques to the test. “Between bumps and shaded parts, finding the right feeling here is always difficult, ” Alexander explained, ” But today I was able to put down a good test. Tomorrow I will try to push again, the goal is to get on the podium. “
For the Italian colors there are the seventh place of Mattia Casse, still the best of the Italians, and the eighth place of Dominik Paris, in a very different mood compared to the first trial ended with a fall: “Today was much better, even the feelings were not bad, but to aim for the podium tomorrow we will need something more.”
Casse also commented on the state of the slope, after the night’s work and the touch-up operated at the St. Peter’s jump in agreement with the FIS: “The course was smoother today, the technical team did a great job, and I felt more comfortable. On Saturday we will all start on an equal footing, but after the win in Gardena I have more confidence .”
Among the most anticipated athletes, the 11th time of World Cup leader Marco Odermatt is also notable: “Skiing here is always so hard, I think it’s the hardest race ever, but I’m happy to be in Bormio, where I’ve had good results before. Let’s hope for a good weekend .”
Also confident is American Ryan Cochran-Siegle, 14th today, returning from good results in recent weeks: “I feel good. The track here is really challenging, and those who can deal with its pitfalls by developing speed are the ones who eventually get to the front-that’s what I’m trying to do and what I’ll try to do tomorrow. “
On the other hand, the test of Thursday’s fastest racer, Cyprien Sarrazin, ended in the worst way, author of a bad fall in the Konta area when he had the best partial intermediate time. The same fate also befell Bormino Pietro Zazzi: he was helicoptered to Sondalo hospital. For Zazzi, the report speaks of decomposed fracture of tibia and fibula. The Frenchman, on the other hand, suffered a subdural hematoma.
“It is always bad to witness such incidents,” commented Race Director Omar Galli, “as we know the Stelvio is a challenging slope, which the athletes are now very familiar with after so many seasons. As every year, a great deal of preparation work has been done in the days leading up to it, and we have strongly implemented the level of safety on the slope with the inclusion of the new A-nets. In outdoor sports, unfortunately, weather variables can affect the reactions of the track in some places: we hope to soon find both Cyprien and Pietro back at their best .”
SATURDAY’S CHALLENGE: THE MAIN FAVORITES
After a start to the speed season full of surprises and first podiums, nothing is a foregone conclusion ahead of the Bormio Downhill. In the last race, on the Saslong in Val Gardena, Marco Odermatt took his first victory of the season in the Downhill, number 40 on a rich palmarès: the Swiss became the most successful of his compatriots, even surpassing former colleague Pirmin Zurbriggen, who won on the Stelvio at the 1985 World Championships.
Challenging him will be Austrian Vincent Kriechmayr, Canadians James Crawford and Cameron Alexander, American Ryan Cochran-Siegle and Swiss Franjo Von Allmen, among others.
The Italian national team also has no shortage of cards to play: Mattia Casse managed to achieve his first World Cup victory in the Super-G race in Val Gardena and will come to the Stelvio starting gate eager to return to the top step of the podium in front of the home crowd, and of course the most successful athlete ever on the Alpine Skiing La Scala, Dominik Paris, eager to add another victory on one of his most beloved slopes.
A LONG WEEKEND OF CELEBRATION
On Dec. 27, the festivities also began in the streets of Bormio with the opening of the World Cup Village in Walter Fontana Square, offering the chance to enjoy music, food &beverage and watch the races from the big screen.
Late this afternoon, however, the public bib draw is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Cavour Square, preceded by the traditional ski club parade.
On Saturday, December 28, on the other hand, after the Downhill, the World Cup Village will come alive first with the Race Party, and then move on to a live talk in which Carlo Vanzini and Marc Gené will converse with special guests, including Kristian Ghedina, Giorgio Rocca, and Werner Heel. Finally, on Sunday, December 29, after the Super-G, it will be time to say goodbye to the long weekend of celebration in Bormio with the Closing Party.
