Nyman sets pace in lone Val Gardena training run

By Published On: December 17th, 2014Comments Off on Nyman sets pace in lone Val Gardena training run
Travis Ganong, Steven Nyman and Marco Sullivan celebrate a positive training run in Val Gardena Wednesday. FIS

Travis Ganong, Steven Nyman and Marco Sullivan celebrate a positive training run in Val Gardena Wednesday. FIS

Steven Nyman is on a roll. The American led the field with the fastest training time on the Saslong in Val Gardena, Italy, earlier today. Nyman clocked the day’s only sub-2-minute pace of 1 minute, 59.98 seconds. He bested none other than Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud, who is undefeated in downhill this season and nearly so in super G. Jansrud finished the training run in second place, less than two-tenths back with a time of 2:00.17. In third was Germany’s Tobias Stechert with a time of 2:00.52.

For Nyman, who is coming off an incredible podium performance less than two weeks ago in Beaver Creek, Val Gardena is a promising venue, perhaps his best venue. The Italian speed track has hosted the only two wins of Nyman’s career (2006 and 2012).

“The Saslong is completely different this year compared to other years,” said Nyman after the run. “It’s in great shape, despite the well-known snow issues. There are still a few things that need to happen on the course before Friday. I have captured my only two World Cup victories on this course. This gives me a good feeling and I truly hope to be right there at the top on Friday.”

A week ago, it was uncertain if these events would even take place. Warm temperatures and lack of snow postponed confirmation of the races until Saturday, three days prior to the start of training. The FIS also modified the program in an effort to preserve the racecourse, swapping the downhill to Friday and the super G to Saturday. Officials also canceled the second training run, scheduled for Thursday; as a result, today’s run will be the only look the athletes get prior to race day.

The training was highly anticipated, given the course was prepared in just three days and true conditions can only be evaluated by actual racers on the hill. Due to the existing thin layer of snow, the Saslong has a strong profile with long jumps in several key sections on the upper part of the course. The Ciaslat Meadow will be like a washing machine on turbo spin. And only the Finish jump will not reach as far this year, which will likely be a welcomed change considering what the racers have to go through on Ciaslat.

“I’ve heard that the OC had a hard time making the necessary snow,” said Jansrud. “In fact, you can see the grass is almost green around the course. But it is in good shape, good top layer, I expected it to be softer. It all went well, and conditions are better than good.

“Looks like the media and the public has higher expectations than I have,” added the three-time winner this season. “I know, I’ve come in as a favorite, and that’s how I feel, but I know it’s going to be a fight for the downhill and super G. And as we all know, the races here in Val Gardena can also be won by athletes with higher bib numbers.”

Results

 1  24  533866 NYMAN Steven 1982 USA  1:59.98
 2  16  421483 JANSRUD Kjetil 1985 NOR  2:00.17  +0.19
 3  34  201811 STECHERT Tobias 1985 GER  2:00.52  +0.54
 4  19  291459 PARIS Dominik 1989 ITA  2:00.61  +0.63
 5  17  191740 CLAREY Johan 1981 FRA  2:01.00  +1.02
 6  9  102899 OSBORNE-PARADIS Manuel 1984 CAN  2:01.03  +1.05
 7  2  510890 ZURBRIGGEN Silvan 1981 SUI  2:01.05  +1.07
 8  1  293141 VARETTONI Silvano 1984 ITA  2:01.10  +1.12
 9  18  53902 MAYER Matthias 1990 AUT  2:01.20  +1.22
 10  14  50742 REICHELT Hannes 1980 AUT  2:01.25  +1.27
 11  20  192932 FAYED Guillermo 1985 FRA  2:01.35  +1.37
 11  6  511313 JANKA Carlo 1986 SUI  2:01.35  +1.37
 13  58  194167 MUZATON Maxence 1990 FRA  2:01.40  +1.42
 14  15  530874 GANONG Travis 1988 USA  2:01.42  +1.44
 15  73  294277 KLOTZ Siegmar 1987 ITA  2:01.44  +1.46
 16  26  510727 DEFAGO Didier 1977 SUI  2:01.50  +1.52
 17  7  292514 HEEL Werner 1982 ITA  2:01.53  +1.55
 18  71  422139 KILDE Aleksander Aamodt 1992 NOR  2:01.57  +1.59
 19  25  533131 SULLIVAN Marco 1980 USA  2:01.59  +1.61
 20  8  511383 FEUZ Beat 1987 SUI  2:01.64  +1.66
 21  10  53817 FRANZ Max 1989 AUT  2:01.66  +1.68
 22  67  194298 GIEZENDANNER Blaise 1991 FRA  2:01.74  +1.76
 23  28  50753 KROELL Klaus 1980 AUT  2:01.76  +1.78
 24  53  150398 BANK Ondrej 1980 CZE  2:01.77  +1.79
 25  11  292455 FILL Peter 1982 ITA  2:01.80  +1.82
 26  13  192746 THEAUX Adrien 1984 FRA  2:01.81  +1.83
 26  12  511139 KUENG Patrick 1984 SUI  2:01.81  +1.83
 28  68  990081 CASSE Mattia 1990 ITA  2:01.93  +1.95
 29  46  194190 ROGER Brice 1990 FRA  2:01.94  +1.96
 30  21  293006 INNERHOFER Christof 1984 ITA  2:02.04  +2.06
 31  27  50858 STREITBERGER Georg 1981 AUT  2:02.05  +2.07
 32  64  200379 SANDER Andreas 1989 GER  2:02.07  +2.09
 33  32  202059 FERSTL Josef 1988 GER  2:02.21  +2.23
 34  3  51215 BAUMANN Romed 1986 AUT  2:02.27  +2.29
 35  33  560447 SPORN Andrej 1981 SLO  2:02.49  +2.51
 36  61  51327 PUCHNER Joachim 1987 AUT  2:02.52  +2.54
 37  51  481705 GLEBOV Alexander 1983 RUS  2:02.55  +2.57
 38  36  501076 OLSSON Hans 1984 SWE  2:02.56  +2.58
 39  45  561067 PERKO Rok 1985 SLO  2:02.62  +2.64
 40  69  531452 BIESEMEYER Thomas 1989 USA  2:02.68  +2.70
 41  40  561217 KOSI Klemen 1991 SLO  2:02.78  +2.80
 42  56  103271 THOMSEN Benjamin 1987 CAN  2:02.96  +2.98
 43  63  53933 SCHWEIGER Patrick 1990 AUT  2:02.99  +3.01
 43  57  510997 BERTHOD Marc 1983 SUI  2:02.99  +3.01
 45  5  54005 STRIEDINGER Otmar 1991 AUT  2:03.02  +3.04
 46  22  191964 POISSON David 1982 FRA  2:03.10  +3.12
 47  23  51332 SCHEIBER Florian 1987 AUT  2:03.15  +3.17
 48  55  202196 BRANDNER Klaus 1990 GER  2:03.16  +3.18
 49  70  294904 PANGRAZZI Paolo 1988 ITA  2:03.18  +3.20
 50  48  380292 ZRNCIC-DIM Natko 1986 CRO  2:03.22  +3.24
 51  72  511808 SCHMED Fernando 1991 SUI  2:03.34  +3.36
 51  39  511529 GISIN Marc 1988 SUI  2:03.34  +3.36
 53  4  102271 HUDEC Jan 1981 CAN  2:03.38  +3.40
 54  43  511513 CAVIEZEL Mauro 1988 SUI  2:03.39  +3.41
 55  47  53936 DUERAGER Markus 1990 AUT  2:03.44  +3.46
 56  37  561255 CATER Martin 1992 SLO  2:03.50  +3.52
 57  74  6291029 BATTILANI Henri 1994 ITA  2:03.54  +3.56
 58  77  6290985 BUZZI Emanuele 1994 ITA  2:03.55  +3.57
 59  44  934643 GOLDBERG Jared 1991 USA  2:03.79  +3.81
 60  54  53980 KRIECHMAYR Vincent 1991 AUT  2:03.82  +3.84
 61  29  511352 VILETTA Sandro 1986 SUI  2:03.86  +3.88
 62  42  380260 KOSTELIC Ivica 1979 CRO  2:03.90  +3.92
 63  76  511405 OREILLER Ami 1987 SUI  2:04.05  +4.07
 64  50  6530104 BENNETT Bryce 1992 USA  2:04.11  +4.13
 65  75  530939 WEIBRECHT Andrew 1986 USA  2:04.39  +4.41
 66  59  194542 GIRAUD MOINE Valentin 1992 FRA  2:04.51  +4.53
 67  81  481327 TRIKHICHEV Pavel 1992 RUS  2:05.20  +5.22
 68  38  103612 PRIDY Morgan 1990 CAN  2:05.22  +5.24
 69  35  511981 WEBER Ralph 1993 SUI  2:05.52  +5.54
 70  49  100558 COOK Dustin 1989 CAN  2:05.56  +5.58
 71  41  180570 ROMAR Andreas 1989 FIN  2:06.33  +6.35
 72  65  481514 BORODAYKIN Artem 1994 RUS  2:06.36  +6.38
 73  80  534959 JITLOFF Tim 1985 USA  2:06.39  +6.41
 74  82  370031 ALESSANDRIA Arnaud 1993 MON  2:06.59  +6.61
 75  62  512042 KRYENBUEHL Urs 1994 SUI  2:06.87  +6.89
 76  78  511638 TUMLER Thomas 1989 SUI  2:07.61  +7.63
 77  79  561310 HROBAT Miha 1995 SLO  2:07.97  +7.99
Did not start 1st run
 66  293550 MARSAGLIA Matteo 1985 ITA
 60  561216 KLINE Bostjan 1991 SLO
 31  194364 PINTURAULT Alexis 1991 FRA
 30  534562 LIGETY Ted 1984 USA
Did not finish 1st run
 52  400281 VAN HEEK Marvin 1991 NED

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