Giant, Azzurri in the hunt for a podium that has been missing for too long

Giant, Azzurri in the hunt for a podium finish

Eight Azzurri for two giant slaloms in Kranjska Gora, the last event for the men’s World Cup technical disciplines before the finals in Soldeu, Andorra. Those summoned by technical director Massimo Carca are: Giovanni Borsotti, Luca De Aliprandini, Filippo Della Vite, Hannes Zingerle, Tobias Kastlunger, Simon Maurberger, Alex Vinatzer and Alex Hofer, for the two races between the wide gates on Saturday, March 11 and Sunday, March 12 (both first run at 09:30 a.m., second run 12:30 p.m. with live television coverage on Raisport and Eurosport).

The last Italian giant slalom podium in Slovenia dates back to 2009 and was the third place taken by Massimiliano Blardone. In the Slovenian giant slalom, the annals of skiing record sixteen total podiums including four victories, two by Alberto Tomba (1990, 1995) and one each for Patrick Holzer (1999) and Sergio Bergamelli (1992). There are also six seconds (Erlacher 1985 and 1986, Belfrond 1994, Schieppati 2004, Blardone 2005 and Moelgg 2008) and six third places (Blardone 2007, 2008 and 2009, Ploner 2004, Tomba 1992 and Pramotton 1986).