Speed specialist Sofia Goggia deservedly clinched victory in Crans Montana, Switzerland, unimpressed by the difficult conditions with the fastest descent. Team colleague Federica Brignone was able to take advantage of the moment and finished second. France’s Laura Gauche also made it onto the podium. For DSV speed specialist Kira Weidle, on the other hand, the race was disappointing.
In the run-up to the women’s World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana, the athletes and organizers had to struggle with the changing conditions in the Swiss Alps. After several postponements due to fog, Saturday’s race was canceled and postponed to Sunday. Even then it was not possible to start on time. Shortly after 11:30 a.m. the time had come.
Weidle misses pressure under the ski
DSV hopeful Kira Weidle started the race too timidly as the seventh starter, was able to catch up in the middle part, but at the finish she was clearly behind the Norwegian Ranghild Mowinckel, who had been leading up to that point. The Starnberg native had already left a podium finish in the upper area. “Despite the tougher conditions, I missed the pressure under the skis“Weidle analyzed on ZDF. You first had to find your way in the upper part. That’s why it is”a day to forget“. The 31-year-old finished the race in 14th place.
Undeterred, Goggia races to success
Things went better shortly afterwards for Italy’s speed star Sofia Goggia, who in the fight for the top positions with start number nine increased the target time for the competitors. At the World Cup, the 30-year-old had missed the targeted gold after a “threader”, this time she should be at the top again. Because the competitors could not break their best time of 1:26.81 minutes. “It meant a lot to me that I completed the run as I had planned“Said Goggia, who fell in training.
World Cup stars miss out on top ten places
In difficult conditions, world champion Jasmin Flury (SUI) missed the top ten, as did silver winner Nina Ortlieb (Austria) and bronze medalist Corinne Suter (SUI).
Brignone and Gauche can take advantage of weather changes
After 18 starters, the race had to be interrupted because visibility had deteriorated again. Goggia was ahead of Mowinckel and Joana Hählen (SUI). But the sun broke through and brought good conditions for the speed riders who were still waiting.
Federica Brignone, who turned the podium upside down with start number 21, was able to use it. The 32-year-old missed the leap to the top by almost 15 hundredths of a second, but pushed Mowinckel into third place and pushed Hählen off the podium.
But even this result was not certain, because with starting number 26, the French Laura Gauche surprisingly moved up to third place.
Aicher in the top 30
Emma Aicher, on the other hand, did not make mistakes through the course, but was able to collect World Cup points in 25th place. For Katrin Hirtl Stangassinger there was nothing countable in 35th place.
