GEPA pictures/ Wolfgang Grebien

Italy’s Marta Bassino wins the Saturday Crans-Montana downhill. She has won six giant slaloms but has never before been victorious in a different discipline. Bassino was the third to start and crossed with a massive (+1.80) lead. She has long been one of the world’s best GS skiers. However, she has recently shown world-class downhill speed. Today, she continued that trend. She skied with strength, balance, and precision, leaving no doubt who was the best in Saturday’s race.

“I know I’m skiing good, and I just tried to be fast and to be a downhiller in the flat part,” said Bassino. “I think I’ve done a great run; I’ve done all the things that we have seen and that we have analyzed in the video.”

“I was bib No.3 and I think that helped a bit because the snow became slower.”

Although the lead shrunk, none of the talented women that followed could come within a half second of the veteran’s time. Her teammate Federica Brignone finished second (+0.54) to earn the Italians the top two steps of the podium.

Gut-Behrami

One of the best skiers she fended off early was Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami, the leader in the downhill standings and yesterday’s winner. Once Bassino had beaten the red-hot Swiss skier, she probably began to dream of a victory. However, by finishing third (+1.11) and earning 60 downhill points, Gut-Berhami assumes the lead in the season’s downhill standings. She overtakes the Italian superstar Sofia Goggia, who is not racing due to a season-ending injury.

“I’m just happy that I’m still solid and doing consistent skiing — it’s not easy,” Gut-Behrami said. “The energy level is pretty low so I have to find something for tomorrow.”

Brignone

The next skier to attempt to dethrone Bassino was her teammate Federica Brignone. Brignone skied brilliantly and on the edge of her ability. She was close in the timing sectors, but her best fell (+0.54) short of matching Bassino. She was well clear of third place Gut-Behrami but well short of Bassino. The sports stars continued to attempt to beat Bassino, but no one came close.

“I was pushing, I was free, I was able to do my best skiing,” Brignone said. 

“The upper part didn’t come perfectly, but I’m really happy about the rest. I didn’t make the mistake I did yesterday so I’m really proud about it.”

Racer after racer, Bassino defended the lead. Racer after racer skied well and she remained in the leader’s chair. The time differential between Bassino and 30th place was (+3.06). Only three women could not finish the race.

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With her unmatched display of strength, balance, and precision, Marta Bassino secured her career’s first downhill victory, cementing her status as a versatile force in alpine skiing. Despite the shrinking lead, none could match her prowess; with teammate Federica Brignone claiming second place, they completed an Italian 1-2.

Even the formidable Lara Gut-Behrami, leader in the downhill standings, fell short, submitting to Bassino’s excellence. As racer after racer attempted to dethrone her, Bassino stood unwavering, leaving a substantial gap between her and the competition, affirming her dominance in today’s race.

Stifel US Ski Team

Wiles

The first and fastest Stifel US Ski Team member to race was the team leader, Jacqueline Wles. Wiles earned her career’s best race this season: a second place in Cortina d’Ampezzo. But while racing well in Crans-Montana, she has failed to unlock podium speed. In Saturday’s edition, she finishes a North American best 13th (+1.88) slower than Bassino.

Wright

The second US athlete to ski was Isabella Wright. Wright has been on the edge of making the selection for the finals in Saalbach Austria. However, Wright did not finish the course for the second day in a row and failed to score World Cup points. She has one more race in Kvitfjell to earn her way into the top 25 and punch her ticket to the World Cup finals.

Macuga

The third to ski was the emerging Lauren Macuga. During her second World Cup season, Macuga continued to impress. She has recently found world-class speed and has scored in the last four downhills. Before that, she had scored one point in one race during her rookie season. Macuga finished the race 23rd (+2.62).

Leading the charge for the Stifel US Ski Team, Jacqueline Wiles showcased her relentless determination, securing a commendable 13th-place finish, the best among North American athletes, albeit trailing behind Bassino’s blistering pace by 1.88 seconds. Isabella Wright faced a challenging run, failing to complete the course for the second consecutive day, jeopardizing her chances of securing a spot in the World Cup finals. Meanwhile, emerging talent Lauren Macuga continued her impressive ascent, navigating the course with newfound speed, adding another commendable performance to her resume. Despite the altered conditions, with lower temperatures and a more reactive surface, the athletes persevered, adapting to the challenges of the Crans-Montana slopes. Only three women could not finish the course.

The women have one more regular season World Cup downhill in to make their mark. After the Kvitfjell race only the top 25 and the Junior World Champion will earn invitations to the Saalbach finals.

Top thirty results and analysis of the fastest three and Stifel US Ski Team members who scored World Cup downhill points in Crans-Montana.

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Analysis of the fastest three and Stifel US Ski Team members who scored World Cup downhill points in Crans-Montana.