Benjamin Jacques Alliod he won a splendid one fifth place in the Crans Montana downhillvalid test for the Alpine Skiing World Cup. The Italian from the Army Sports Center blossomed on the Swiss track, where he achieved the best result of his career on the top international traveling circuit. The fresh 26 year old (he blew out the candles on January 24th) will not be in the game at the Winter Olympics of Milan Cortina 2026, but has shown that he is on the right path to achieve great satisfaction in the near future.
You’re starting to get into the points regularly in both downhill and super-G. How difficult was the adaptation to the World Cup?
“The adaptation itself was not complicated. The World Cup slopes are more difficult, but still suit my technical and physical characteristics better. The simple difference is that in the World Cup the level is much higher and to get into the 30s with the high numbers is challenging. Personally, it took me a while to make the first stitches. Now I’ve been going there regularly for a while and I hope to continue to grow and raise the bar higher and higher”.
The Italian national team hasn’t been this competitive in speed for years: what were the ingredients for these results?
“This year we are all doing very well and personally I don’t know how to explain it. We didn’t do many speed training sessions and concentrated more on the giant slalom. Maybe this helped us to settle down well technically and transfer everything to the long auctions”.
Is internal competition doing the movement good, a bit like what happens in tennis? What is your relationship with your teammates?
“Surely! With the Olympics at home I think everyone has put in an extra gear to be able to get the ticket. I have an excellent relationship with my teammates and I think that in the current team a nice mix of experienced and young people has been created, which helps everyone to work with more commitment and fun.”.
Do Paris and Innerhofer give you any advice?
“Yes, certainly. As a Domme you have to be the one to ask him if he can explain something to you and he is very helpful. With Inner you don’t need it because it already explains everything to you, even if you don’t ask for advice. Jokes aside, they are still two excellent teachers and the passion and desire they still have at their age is truly incredible”.
Is seeing Giovanni Franzoni, one year younger than you, achieve great results an incentive to do more and more to raise the bar?
“Certainly. I think Gio is having an incredible moment of form and I’m super happy for him because he deserves it. I know all the work that goes into it, the defeats, the injury. He had a slightly different path than mine, he spent many more years in the team than me and he started competing in the World Cup when I was still doing FIS races. Mine is a continuous growth and I think that in my time I too will get some great satisfaction”.
Your Olympics will probably be the next one, in 2030. Do you have any regrets about Milano Cortina 2026?
“I have some regrets. On the descent in Gardena I could have easily finished in the top 5 without the mistake on the last Ciaslat. Maybe this would have changed the cards on the table, who knows. It must be said that this year they all went very well and being able to get the ticket with this squadron was a difficult task. It will be for the next one”.
Does Odermatt remain the unattainable No. 1 or do you think there is someone who can worry him?
“Odermatt is always the man to beat, whether in giant slalom, super-G or downhill. To be able to get behind him you have to do very well and someone has been managing to do so lately, like Franzoni, but I’m sure that in the future I too will be able to get close.”.
What is your favorite track?
“My favorite slope is the Saslong, in Val Gardena. I feel really at ease there and I always feel great emotions when I go down”.
What are your strengths and where do you need to improve?
“My strengths are my physical structure, but also being equipped with a good technique that allows me to be competitive in difficult sections and the smoothness that I always improve from year to year. Where we need to work instead is on making fewer mistakes in the race and being more precise”.
Who is Benjamin Alliod in everyday life?
“A simple and polite boy, who lives for sport at 360 degrees. I like good healthy food, being on the move and doing lots of different sports. I’ve been passionate about golf lately and I can’t wait for summer to play again. I also really like cycling and playing tennis. I feel very lucky to live the life of an athlete and I like to work hard to achieve the goals I set for myself. I also keep other avenues open and continue my studies. At the moment I’m attending physical education at an online university and I try to take some exams every now and then”.
