Italian
First seasonal victory for Sofia Goggia. The champion from Bergamo triumphs in the super-G of Val d’Isere. Fourth Elena Curtoni
VAL D’ISERE (FRANCE) – Perhaps that mistake in the descent was just what it took to bring out the true Sofia Goggia. After two third places in St. Moritz last week, the champion from Bergamo finally steps onto the top of the podium and gives Italy its first victory in alpine skiing of the season.
In the superG of Val d’Isere, the Italian athlete takes the lead for the first time with strength and determination, bringing home the victory in the second and final race of the World Cup stage in the French location. This marks her twenty-seventh triumph, eighth in superG, and the second in Val d’Isere after the one in 2021. This brings her total to 65 podiums in her career.
Incredible numbers from Sofia Goggia, who executes a textbook race finishing in 1’20″24, leaving crumbs for her two fiercest rivals: the New Zealander Alice Robinson and the American Lindsey Vonn, respectively second at 0″15 and third at 0″36.
Fourth place for the increasingly rising Elena Curtoni at 0″73. Thirteenth is Roberta Melesi at +1″05. Error for Laura Pirovano who finishes seventeenth at 1″22. First World Cup points in her career for Sara Allemand, 26th at 1″70. The other Italians Nadia Delago, Nicol Delago, and Sara Thaler are further behind.
In the specialty ranking, still in first place is Robinson with 180 points, followed closely by Goggia at 160. Third is Vonn with 110. The Italian athlete, with this victory, moves up to third place overall with 372 points: ahead of her are still Robinson (484) and Mikaela Shiffrin, in first place with 558.
The next commitment will be in Austria at Semmering next weekend with a giant slalom and a slalom.
The statements
These are the words of Sofia Goggia after her first victory of the season:
“The pain of today will be the fuel of tomorrow is the message I exchanged yesterday with Gian Piero Gasperini, coach of Roma, to whom I remain very attached after his experience in Bergamo with Atalanta.
Yesterday’s race affected me a lot; it was an emotionally very tough day, and I spent an hour crying, reflecting on the missed opportunity. I was coming from a lot of solidity, and instead, yesterday’s mistake made me throw away a golden opportunity. I started again from there, from the desire for redemption. As has been the case throughout my career, made up of comebacks, with a strong desire to rise again: winning today is nice, and it’s part of it. When you’re on the podium, you’re always happy, but winning is what I aspire to. But yesterday’s example is emblematic: a beautiful day, I was skiing great, and it went like this. Yes, I still have that mistake here, but the important thing is to always have some new arrows in the quiver.
When I reached the bottom, I wasn’t convinced; I skied with a lot of margin in the upper part. But it was enough; let’s take home this victory, and that’s fine.
In St. Moritz, Lindsey Vonn woke us up and forced us all to raise our level. I want to focus more on what I can do rather than dwell on today’s race, where I know I had margin: today with this victory, I gave myself a nice Christmas gift, while yesterday I gave it to the others because sometimes I am generous. Now for Christmas, in Semmering and Kranjska Gora, I will be there in giant slalom; in January, maybe I will focus on speed, we’ll see.”
These are the words of Elena Curtoni, an excellent fourth: “Actually, I’m a bit nervous. I knew I could do well on a track that I like and on a course suited to me. I can still improve, I found wind in the middle part: I made it to the finish and given the gap I knew someone would come in. What reassures me is being close to the leaders, especially in superG. It gives me confidence, I know I will also grow in downhill.”
Women’s SG World Cup Results Val d’Isere (Fra)
Photo Credits: Fisi.org
