Federica Brignone announces participation in a'other race
Federica Brignone, after a fabulous sixth-place finish 292 days after the serious injury that had put even her participation in the Olympics in doubt, spoke of her near-miraculous recovery: “It’s been a tough, tough nine months, and I’m just so proud. Everyone who has been happy with me knows what it was like to get this far. It was all new for me today emotionally: usually when you show up for a race you know where you are and what your goals are, even performance-wise. Instead today was all new, a test: even holding the tension for so many hours, with the attention. I am really glad I competed today, had I waited for the Games it would have been maybe too much”.
In the first run, Brignone admitted that she didn’t feel completely free yet, but she expected it: “Maybe I do three turns well and then I get stuck a little bit, but it“s that confidence that you build with training, that“s what it’s for. It lacks steps, it lacks condition: this track is tough, for me it was a very good test, also for my head”. Already decided how 2026 will continue: “I will go to Cortina d’Ampezzo to improve in speed and see how I am. The schedule will be decided day by day”.
The Valle d’Aosta athlete also speculated about participating in one’other race before the Olympics, which will take place starting Feb. 6 on the very snows of Cortina: “If I feel comfortable on the jumps and in the passages on the bumps with long skis, we will also evaluate Crans-Montana, which is another very demanding slope. I need to find the right passes and the confidence to keep my foot down in the difficult moments: between now and the Games, the way will be the one that will allow me to make the most progress to get back fast”.
The balance of the comeback, however, is already decidedly positive: “It is a kind of restart and I am already thinking about how to go stronger. Today I am very happy: it was a way to break the ice, but I am not satisfied”.
“With all the adrenaline and excitement, the pain was even less than usual. I almost got a good start from the gate, which usually hurts a lot. We will take final stock in the afternoon, but the snow was nice so I would say it went well” he concluded.
