Sofia Goggia trains in Val di Fassa a month before the Olympics: «I only perform when I’m calm»
SAN PELLEGRINO PASS – «Four laps of one minute and twenty of super-G,gorgeous snow,very aggressive,excellent conditions.” Sofia Goggia is satisfied after training on the Volatathe famous slope at the San Pellegrino Pass in Val di Fassa, where the Milan-Cortina Games are being prepared. Today there will be downhill tests, then giant slalom tests, in a ski area that the champion from Bergamo considers “a second home”. «It’s a regular training center of ours. We are warmly hosted, the slopes are prepared especially for us, despite the very high tourist turnout”, he explains. The mayor of Moena, Alberto Kostner, appreciates the champion’s gratitude.
One who has four downhill World Cups under her belt, two Olympic medals (gold and silver) and two more world championships (silver and bronze) renews, thanks to attention to detail, her promise to improve even further in view of the most coveted goal, a medal in her Cortina. «Yes, Cortina. It is the place of my heart, I think of it when I get on the old three-seater chairlift to reach the Tofane and prepare for the free descent. It’s slow, early in the morning, the sun rises, illuminating the peaks with orange reflections. They say that Pelmo is the mountain where God rested after creating so much beauty.Cortina is poetry, a place that always excites me.” Poetry? Sofia wrote one, dedicated to Pelmo. The artistic streak is a lesser known note of his personality, outside the white circus. sofia loves music, plays the piano (“actually, I strum”), studies to prepare the thesis for the political science course at Luiss-Guido Carli. An extremely topical topic: «Soft power and propaganda in the history of the Olympics, from ancient Greece to the present day». He is smiling and helpful, while wearing his tracksuit, he signs autographs for the many kids queuing at the cable car station.
Key Takeaway: Sofia Goggia credits a meeting with soccer star Roberto Baggio with helping her navigate a dark period in her career, emphasizing the profound impact of mental fortitude and self-belief in overcoming adversity.
The Baggio Connection: finding Inner Strength
Goggia candidly shared that a meeting with roberto Baggio, a player renowned for his own battles with injuries, was a turning point.Working on the mind is very good, it makes you feel good about yourself and makes you feel good among others,
Goggia explained, underscoring that these aren’t mere platitudes but essential components of athletic success.
During a particularly challenging phase of her career, Goggia sought out Baggio. I was in a very dark period in my career,
she admitted. I asked to meet him because I knew how much he had been battered by so many injuries and I needed to understand his internal motivations to recover.
The desire to connect with someone who understood the unique psychological toll of repeated physical setbacks was paramount.
The conversation, held at Baggio’s home, provided Goggia with the clarity she desperately needed.she had been grappling with the idea that her injuries stemmed from internal conflicts, and she sought an empathetic ear. Baggio’s response, a now-famous piece of advice, cut through the complexity:
Decide for yourself, the rest is just big mental wanks.
Roberto Baggio
This direct, no-nonsense advice served as a powerful reminder for Goggia to trust her own judgment and focus on her internal drive, rather than getting lost in external pressures or overthinking the psychological aspects of her recovery.
Navigating Tragedy and the Athlete’s Mindset
The interview also touched upon the somber events in Crans-Montana, a stark reminder of the dangers inherent our eyes with beauty and takes the words out of our mouths. You are the thrill of the schüss and you are the joy with which we descend from the gully early in the morning; what freedom. You are the beauty of the eternal in what is God’s masterpiece; legend has it that, after having created you, he settled down on Mount Pelmo to rest…”.
