Skiing, the World Cup begins with a major surprise forfeit

Lara Gut-Behrami skips first race of the season

The 2024/2025 Alpine Skiing World Cup season begins immediately with a twist: at the starting gate of the first race of the new year, the women’s giant slalom in Solden (Austria), there will not be, in fact, last season’s champion, Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami, blocked by the aftermath of an injury.

Gut-Behrami, in fact, preferred not to risk it as she has not yet recovered from a knee discomfort: thus skipping the possibility of another victory in Solden, where the Swiss athlete has won three times during her career. Gut-Behrami could therefore return to Levi, Finland, where the first special slalom of the season will be held on Nov. 17.

In that sense, the possibility of taking more days to recover is not ruled out, skipping the first two special slaloms (the one in Levi and the one in Gurgl on Nov. 24) in order to return to the track in December, in the triple event in Beaver Creek, where downhill, Super-G and giant slalom will be run between Dec. 6 and 8.

Born in 1991, Lara Gut-Behrami è one of the most brilliant interpreters of alpine skiing in recent years: in her trophy cabinet she boasts two overall World Cups, five Super-G, one giant slalom, one Olympic gold and two bronze medals in addition to two gold, three silver and three bronze medals at Worlds level, confirming her effectiveness in both fast disciplines and giant slalom.