Nyman sets pace in lone Val Gardena training run
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 |