Triumph of Sofia Goggia in the World Cup downhill in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee. In the Austrian resort the Italian champion obtained her first downhill victory this season, her first on the ‘Kaelberloch’ (‘calf hole’) slope, the twenty-fourth in her career, thus equaling Federica Brignone, now fourteenth, at the top of the statistics of most successful Italian women in the White Circus.
Goggia, who came down with bib number 8, won by stopping the clock at 1’46″47, leaving behind the Austrians Stephanie Venier, one tenth behind, and Mirjam Puchner at 34 hundredths. Third ex aequo was the Italian Nicol Delago. Goggia in this season she had reached the podium three times and won the Sankt Moritz super-giant on December 8. Sofia Goggia, 31 years old, from Bergamo of the Fiamme Gialle, was able to tackle the course designed by the Italian Alberto Senigagliesi almost perfectly, landing very well from the hunter’s jump to then maintain the speed on the flatter section and lead a perfect line in the key points of the three kilometer long track. In the parterre ‘Sofià burst into tears with emotion. Nicol Delago, from South Tyrol, took advantage of the bib number 1, to return to the podium in the Cup after exactly four years: it was 11 January 2020 when she placed second in the downhill in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee. Previously two other second places between Lake Louise and Val Gardena. Thirteenth place for Laura Pirovano at 1″26 from her compatriot, fourteenth for Federica Brignone at 1″39. Goggia with victory number 24 of her career, the eighteenth in the downhill, and joins Brignone and Gustav Thoeni in the ranking of the most successful Italians in the World Cup. Goggia extends her lead in the Downhill Cup standings to 230 points, 93 points more than the Swiss Jasmine Flury (11th today) and 99 points ahead of Puchner. The World Cup leader, the American Mikaela Shiffrin, does not participate in the Altenmarkt-Zauchensee races due to a personal decision and leads with 929 points, 164 more than Brignone. Tomorrow, again on the track in the Salzburg area, a super giant slalom is scheduled, starting at 11 am.