Goggia, Pirovano and Bassino ready for Ushuaia, but Brignone... is on her way. The Italian slalom specialists are also heading to Argentina

On Sunday, the trio from the elite group (joined by Elena Curtoni) will leave for the "Land of Fire". The two-time Olympic champion is still working in the gym and, although she has had a few fewer days of on-snow training, everything should be fine for the trip across the Atlantic, where Franzoni made his first approach to the snow in recent hours together with the giant slalom specialists. For young Swiss skier Daria Zurlinden, who made seven World Cup speed-event appearances in 2025/26, the season is already over before it even began due to serious damage to her left knee.

Saturday 22 August 5 minutes reading time

Ushuaia is a land of blue-suited destinies, as it is for so many of the big names in the white circus, and will host a crucial month of preparation for almost all of the national team groups. The speed racers on the men's World Cup team, however, will be based only in Chile, as will Dominik Paris, who has given up on Argentina (initially included in his plans; HERE on NEVEITALIA is his explanation).

Giovanni Franzoni has begun his work in the Cerro Castor ski area, joining the nine giant slalom specialists who left for the “Land of Fire” last Sunday. In the coming hours, it will be the turn of the stars of Gianluca Rulfi's elite group within the women's squad, with Elena Curtoni also joining them.

Sofia Goggia, Laura Pirovano and Marta Bassino will train on the Argentine snow until September 24, accompanied by Rulfi, coach Marguerettaz and fitness trainer Scarian. The slalom specialists will also leave on Sunday (Collomb, Trocker, Della Mea, Pazzaglia, Valleriani, Mondinelli and Rossetti; Martina Peterlini will not be there) and will remain across the Atlantic until the 19th of next month, while the speed racers will start on September 2.

And Federica Brignone? The idea is to spend a couple of days on skis before leaving, but in any case the La Salle tiger should make it to Ushuaia, after further examinations and specific work at J Medical. As the two-time Olympian reported yesterday on social media while training in the gym, “one more week…”.

There is confidence in Fede's condition, while unfortunately it emerged in recent hours that the 2026/27 season is already over for Daria Zurlinden. The Swiss skier, born in 2004, made her first seven World Cup appearances over the past winter, all in speed events, ending with the three-race series in Val di Fassa (without yet scoring any points on the top circuit). She suffered an injury to her left knee a few weeks ago while training in Zermatt, but the young Swiss athlete has only now revealed it on social media: partial damage to the anterior cruciate ligament and bone bruising, requiring surgery.

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