Alpine Skiingthe interview
pg fb Max Blardone
A social chat with Giacomo Da Rold and the former blue, who started the second season as a junior federal technician, expressed himself on a thousand themes of the white circus. With the usual frankness.
Friday 12 June 2020 11 minutes reading time
From the wonder pink trio to the leaders of the men's movement, Dominik Paris and Christof Innerhofer, passing through his young people.
Max Blardone, returning from the first meeting at the Stelvio where he was finally able to take to the track to train the talents of the Italian national team in the staff of the youth technical director Massimo Carca, said on many topics that concern the high level panorama and not only, interviewed by Giacomo Da Rold.
It starts, obviously, from the thought of the former blue giant on Federica Brignone and his triumph in the World Cup: "I had always been skeptical about his chances of being able to win it, I am sincere - Max admits - On the other hand, with a Shiffrin who imposes himself from the slalom to the descent, seemed impossible: she managed to beat her in multiple disciplines and I think Mikaela would have had it tough even competing until the end of the season, without the stop due to her tragedy.
The continuity of Faith I remember in a few athletes, she was good because in silence she found the right path of versatility, I don't know how many could think of such performances downhill. Unfortunately, I must say that I did not like the way many have defined his triumph: it was not luck, he won and with full merit. Stop".
Marta Bassino, become the second arrow of the blue bow? “I remember her from the time of her youthful victories, she made times as boys and already at the debut in the World Cup she had a crazy level. Then he had to live with a sharp drop, but I think it was due to the desire to test himself in fast disciplines; personally I was doubtful about this choice, instead she was right and now she is ready to aim for the general World Cup. Immediately".
On Sofia Goggia, "Super Max" has little doubt for an "immediate return to the levels of Sofia capable of giving us the Olympic gold. I have seen her these days at the Stelvio, she works to regain her lack of technical security in the last season. Despite everything, she always tried because when she is at the starting gate she has fire in her eyes. Now we have three athletes who will entertain us and pay attention, because something beautiful is also coming in slalom. Rossetti and Peterlini, on a technical level, have already shown great things ".
In the last year, many champions have retired, including those from Italy like Peter Fill, Hanna Schnarf, the Fanchini sisters. Blardone has a regret especially for Nadia: “I think some cup would have arrived, without all those injuries. Two incredible feet, like Elena who started her career with an incredible silver in the world descent of Bormio. On Peter what to say, he gave us three historic cups in the end of an already beautiful career ".
Another former teammate was Manfred Moelgg, who at 38 will return after the Crusader injury suffered in Adelboden: "Watch out for Manni, let's talk about a champion. There are no old or young people, there are slow or fast athletes and if I look at the class and its palmares, but above all the determination and leadership that it transmits to everyone, I am sure it will still give a lot. It is still competitive, like Reichelt who will return to 40 years: why should they stop? The situation is different for other cases, such as those of Anna Veith and Tina Weirather who no longer felt up to it for a variety of reasons ".
Max is also certain of the possibilities of the two male speed captains: “Paris? He will return even more hungry than before, also in the fast disciplines you can recover more quickly to be immediately there. Inner has an extraordinary motivation, I have often been with him for the past few days and have seen him ready as never before. We will also be competitive with men, we think of Vinatzer and Maurberger who in slalom best represent the new generation on the Noel style, with simple and modern skiing. With them we have Gross and Razzoli as a reference, not to mention giant De Aliprandini. I have been waiting for Luca since 2016, when I was still competing, because he has the potential to win in the World Cup: he has horses to sell, he has to limit mistakes and his enthusiasm ".
And on the talents already seen at a high level in the European Cup? “We have a nice speed group, led by Lorenzo Galli - analyzes Blardone - Schieder, Simoni and Molteni are the driving force, then if we go on the technical disciplines here is Canzio, Zuccarini, Kastlunger, Franzoni and Franzoso. As FISI we have decided to modify the classic team scheme, mixing the B team of the slalomgigantists with our juniors, we have really many interesting ones. The staff have joined forces to propose the same working methodology: the program will be practically the same until September and Carca is very good at managing everything with his great experience and quality ".
Roberto Saracco's farewell as manager in charge of the gigantists? Max clearly avoids going into detail, "not knowing that type of situation well, but understanding the choice to follow his children", but reveals that the rumors about a possible inclusion of Walter Girardi in the staff, for the great return home Italy ( with Roberto Lorenzi who has already assumed the role of manager in charge, as well as obviously by the dt of the technical disciplines), are not really spans in the air. "I heard them too and ... I say it would be nice to be part of the group, he has a lot of experience after the years in Sweden and I have always had a wonderful relationship with him".
Last topics? World Championships in Cortina in the first place: “A delicate topic because we need to know the situation well to analyze the choice to request the move to 2022. Obviously I hope they will be disputed as soon as possible also because it would mean that all the precautions to which we are called now, would be slowly waning. With the concern linked above all to the possible lack of the public, I understand the organizers well why the loss at the induced level would be enormous ".
And on the World Cup calendar at risk, the hope of Max Blardone is to be able to return to the microphone of "Mamma Rai" already for the opening in Soelden, in his fifth season as a commentator on the public network, the second as technical commentator of men's races alongside Davide Labate. “A great experience for which I had to prepare a lot, immediately after I stopped skiing at a competitive level. We will see what will happen with the races, we will understand it only along the way. Of course I can't wait to go up to Soelden that Thursday evening and start dreaming again. "
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