John Franzoni is not satisfied: Olympic silver medalist has a definite regret

Although thrilled to be, together with Dominik Paris, the first Italian to stand on the podium in Milan Cortina 2026 thanks to the silver won in the downhill, Giovanni Franzoni does not hide a definite regret, also in light of the gap of just two tenths from the new Olympic champion of the specialty, the Swiss Franjo von Allmen. Franzoni, who confirmed the splendid state of form that had led him to World Cup wins in Wengen and Kitzbühel, recounted his feelings to the microphones of Rai Sport.

“It was a particular race – said the Manerbese -: in the past few days I had not felt much tension, then approaching the gate I realized that my legs were stiffer than usual. Monnet and Odermatt skied flawlessly, then came Von Allmen’s impressive descent and I realized that to stay ahead of them would really need something more. The slope was beautiful, but on the Carcentina I was not perfect: there I left a few tenths”.

The regret is therefore on the specific stretch of the downhill, but the joy is nevertheless very strong: “At the beginning of the season I would never have imagined to win in Kitzbühel and get on the podium at the Olympics. I owe a lot to those who have been close to me. Paris himself, in Val Gardena, had told me smilingly that he no longer wanted to wait for me to make the podiums: today is really a great satisfaction”. For both the young Franzoni, 24, and the 36-year-old born in Merano, this is the first medal at the Winter Olympic Games.

Francesco Lucivero

The men’s downhill opened the Alpine skiing program at the Games, but the medals awarded today are only the beginning. On Sunday, Feb. 8, it will be the turn of the women’s downhill, a particularly eagerly awaited event in the Italian house: the Italian group can count on several athletes capable of steadily inserting themselves in the top positions and fueling new podium ambitions.

As for the other finals scheduled for Saturday, the Olympic day awards medals in the women’s 10km+10km skiathlon, the women’s 3,000m speed skating, the men’s snowboard big air and the women’s ski jumping, a discipline that awards the last medal of the first day of competition.