Sportal.eu

Giovanni Franzoni asks for ice, Dominik Paris feels ready already

Getty Images

The first indications are definitely encouraging: Giovanni Franzoni set the second fastest time and Dominik Paris the fifth in the first round of the men’s downhill of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. On the Stelvio in Bormio (Sondrio), the best time in the opening act of the Olympic event is signed by the American Ryan Cochran-Siegle, at the finish line after 1’56″08. Behind him, Giovanni Franzoni was convincing in every sector and finished with only 16 hundredths of a second difference, followed by Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt, third at 0″40.

Aldo SeghedoniBeautiful, sensitive and reckless: Chloe Kim promises a great Olympics

Chloe Kim is ready to put on a show at the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympics after a period that was not easy, in which she reacted to a series of adversities.
Korean-born U.S. snowboarder starts snowboarding at age four in the San Gabriel Mountains.

At six years old, he earns his first podium finish, with three bronze medals at the US Amateur Snowboarding Association national championships.
PyeongChang 2018: wins Olympic gold in the halfpipe and becomes the youngest ever winner in the specialty.
At 17, sudden fame overwhelms her: recognized everywhere, she gets to avoid leaving home.
Media pressure causes her to lose her enjoyment for the sport she had always loved.
In 2019 a fracture in her ankle forced her to stop and she enrolled at'Princeton University.
In Beijing 2022 wins another gold, but mental health deteriorates due to hater attacks.
Squalid racist comments accuse her of "taking medals away from white American girls".

Comes to consider retirement and chooses to begin a therapeutic journey to free herself from anxieties.
Takes a break in the 2022-2023 season, travels and relies on the support of family and friends.
"Therapy helped me find better tools to deal with stress and pressure".
Reflects on causes, such as success that came too soon. Few could understand what he was experiencing.
November 2025: collaborates with the "Love, Your Mind" campaign of the'Ad Council along with other athletes.
Kim is an international superstar thanks to achievements and transparency in sharing her frailties.

Just behind, the other Helvetic Alexis Monney is fourth at 0″66 (with a goal jump) with Paris in fifth at 0″94; sixth Kriechmayr (+1″00), seventh Von Allmen (+1″01) while the trio of Mattia Casse (+1″60), Christof Innerhofer (+1″77) and Florian Schieder (+1″78) are sandwiched between 13th and 15th.

“I feel good, a little tired after Crans Montana but I recovered the best I could. I enjoyed this test, it was a bit strange today because it is different than usual, but racing in Italy is special and I love this track. The snow is improving, it seems to me an easier bottom than other times, for traning it is fine like this, I hope it will be more icy for the race” noted Franzoni.

A decade ago, after the triumphant weekend in Wengen with victory in Super G and podium in the downhill, the Brescian entered by right into the legend of Italian alpine skiing by imposing himself in the Kitzbühel free race on the legendary Streif. Franzoni in one of the absolute temples of speed scored the first career success in the specialty and the second overall in the World Cup. It’s a result that brings Italy back to the top step of the podium in Kitzbühel seven years after the last time, which was after Dominik Paris’s 2019 victory.

Smiling Paris himself expressed his views on Wednesday: “It’s always nice to be here on the Stelvio. The track is not in perfect condition yet but there is time before the race. Conditions change along the track but it was important to have this first test. I already feel ready for Saturday”.

The second time trial is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 5, starting at 11:30 a.m.

.

Tags:

You may also like...