Italy, now comes the hard: confirmed

Alpine Skiing: All news

Italy: All news

Passed the exaltation for the crazy hat-trick in the closing of the giant Women's World Cup in Aspen we must try to analyze with a cool head Italy's season of alpine skiing, in particular the post-World Cup period.

Monday 20 March 2017 12 minutes reading time

After half a flop of St. Moritz some leading members of the Italian team had an incredible pride reaction, on all Federica Brignone, Dominik Paris and Peter Fill, all people who on the championship podium there had already risen, although many if forget it, but this time they had failed the appointment as two years ago, when there was also Fill. Even the latter, while puncturing almost completely the first descent of Kvitfjell, has brought home the second consecutive specialties cup, that is incredible when you think that he won one downhill in two seasons, one of KitzbÃ¼hel 'last year, in which Aksel Lund Svindal injuring has actually played the downhill trophy last year and has almost completely lost the winter just ended. Fill found himself in a situation exactly opposite to that of last year, that had nothing to lose, while Kjetil Jansrud, leaders on the eve of the last race, was overwhelmed by the tension, just as the Fill of a year ago, that only the last race he managed to pull the injured Svindal, something for which he was widely criticized by people who do not realize that in tennis, for example, the same thing happens when you play against someone who has suffered damage physical: play is psychologically much more difficult than doing it in normal conditions. To continue the comparison Tennis, Jansrud did not have to play against an injured but has also come for the arm and Fill took advantage. Peter has achieved a continuity of impressive performance, it is strong on all surfaces and on all types of snow. But the next November 12 will turn 35. Contrary to what happened once is not an age of retirement, especially in speed, but the policeman of Castelrotto can not pull the wagon of Italy forever speed. Sooner or later it's up to Paris to take his place and keep its continuity and, waiting to grow young people, who are struggling for now (and in the technical races unfortunately there is the same situation), we are still waiting for some high notes from part of Christof Innerhofer, medal ultimate man, although by now the Inner physical ailments are so many. But the Pyeongchang Games are just around the corner and we are sure that the 32 year-old Gais will try to get there in conditions that try to bring home another precious metal. And now we come to the women's field, the one who most exalted us during this season. We are not to list once again the numbers that have won Italy women for the first time in its history the classification by nation. The phrase wisest, and the most obvious, he said, as often happens, Sofia Goggia, namely that it will be difficult to confirm. Holy words. That of blue was in some ways a unique season but we are confident that in the near future we can and must do even better. It 'true that many of the injured will fall this year, in particular the Austrian Anna Veith, Eva-Maria Brem and Carmen Thalmann, whose stop strongly affected the Wunderteam women in the above ranking by nations who ruled for 18 years. Lara Gut also fall, and Lindsey Vonn will try to be at his best level, as well as Viktoria Rebensburg, but is by no means said that all these athletes we come back, the better. The spoils of this year you can improve? And 'possible, provided that all remain healthy, also taking into account that Goggia, counting the slalom at the World Cup this year is over nine times out, four of which are in super-G, the specialty that not without reason she believes be the one best suited to his characteristics, and Brignone, author of a spectacular second half of the season, in the first half came out three times in giant and in this specialty from October until before the triumph of Plan de Corones had never fact than eighth place. It 'a shame that the season is over especially for the Val d'Aosta to Aspen, where almost seven and a half years ago won his first podium, he played two rounds among the wide doors to the limit of perfection. The hat-trick yesterday will also been favored by the participating field reduced compared to other World Cup races and the absent sunnominate, and Tessa Worley, unquestionably the best way to St. Moritz, as Jansrud was gripped by little arms, but so ' it is: the en-plein of the blue is already in the history of alpine skiing and will remain forever in the annals of the Cup. We can not forget Marta Bassino, the 21 year old from Cuneo with a bright future ahead of him, three times on the podium always on the step less noble but two of these the first and last season the race, the two podiums Elena Curtoni, fourth in the final standings the super-G, and the extraordinary third place of Manuela Moelgg, the captain whole heart over the obstacle, in Semmering. Hanna Schnarf did not do his best season as total points but downhill, where it was extremely continues, has done, and there is the greatest regret that I could not compete in the best conditions in the world championship race. Irene Curtoni went as usual in flashes, Verena Stuffer has hit the usual good results in Cortina d'Ampezzo but then little else, Chiara Costazza meanwhile turned in a season yes to ups and downs but in the end was his second best ever after that magical 2008 with a win and a podium. Francesca Marsaglia instead must make the leap: he did not that bad compared to last year but his expectations and ours were far greater. The Roman of San Sicario is the only multi-purpose group not yet be on the podium in 158 races and this is not acceptable for an athlete technically strong as her. As did some of her companions should definitely improve on the planes, his biggest Achilles' heel, and goes recovered psychologically because after the World Cup super-G was really destroyed. About the polyvalent group, Italy has spent half good season with excellent un'infortunata, Nadia Fanchini. We'll see if the 30 year old camuna will once again want to come back after another injury, which was not as bad as others in the past, and the same goes for his sister Elena. Having said all this, are made congratulate the technical, mocked by CriticÃ³n after the World Cup, especially the capoallenatori Carca Max, who took the responsibility of slalomgigantisti after the premature ouster of Steve Locher, and Matteo Guadagnini, that with all the its engineers managed to vast internal rivalries at the women's team. Under him and his co-workers the potential of these girls, who were under the eyes of all years, they are finally a striking highlight, absences or absences. Internal rivalries then are the salt of the sport and have helped to create the Blue Avalanche, are now doing recreate the Avalanche Rose, but these rivalries must be confined to the sporting event because if you also extend to collective dinners can destroy the team. And if you get a result like yesterday there is no rivalry which takes: in the end, as it was yesterday between Federica, Sofia and Marta, there are only hugs and smiles. And we hope so much that there can be many, of these hugs and smiles for a shared podium again next year, maybe in the Olympics, where a women's medal missing since 2002. If so, the inclusion of some of our athlete in the fight for the overall World Cup it will be only a pleasant result.

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