Giovani Franzoni / Kitzbühel 2026 / GEPA pictures
Giovanni Franzoni skied into alpine skiing history Saturday in Kitzbühel, attacking the Streif with total commitment to win the legendary Hahnenkamm downhill on the most extreme and unforgiving course in the sport.
From bib 2, the 23-year-old Italian embraced the chaos of the Streif — steep pitches, massive jumps, blind compressions, and speeds approaching 90 mph — stopping the clock in 1:52.31 and forcing every challenger to ski on the edge of the possible.
Winning on the Streif is different. Control never exists. Courage matters as much as skill. Franzoni delivered both.
“This is unbelievable,” Franzoni said. “Taking my first downhill podium and first victory here in Kitzbühel is such a crazy thing.”
Franzoni Makes History on the Streif
For Franzoni, the victory was still hard to process.
“It’s just crazy, just my second time here in Kitzbühel, to be first,” he said. “Taking that first podium in Wengen was already a dream.”
The Italian said the Streif demanded total commitment, especially in the final section where speed, fatigue, and fear collide.
“I knew I was fast in the final part, but it was scary,” Franzoni said. “After training I had a little insecurity, but I was fast in the middle part, and today that made the difference.”
The win capped a breakthrough January for Franzoni — his first World Cup victory in super-G in Wengen followed by a debut downhill podium — and now one of the most coveted victories in winter sport, earned on the course that defines legends.
Top Five — Men’s World Cup Downhill | Kitzbühel
- 1st — 🇮🇹 Giovanni Franzoni — Bib 2 — 1:52.31
- 2nd — 🇨🇭 Marco Odermatt — Bib 12 — +0.07
- 3rd — 🇫🇷 Maxence Muzaton — Bib 29 — +0.39
- 4th — 🇮🇹 Florian Schieder — Bib 6 — +0.67
- 5th — 🇫🇷 Nils Allègre — Bib 14 — +0.68
As bib 2 Franzoni waited in the leader’s chair, the sport’s biggest names attacked the Streif. None matched his blend of aggression and execution.
Odermatt Reaches a Historic Milestone
Marco Odermatt came agonizingly close to denying Franzoni, threatening deep into his run before finishing just 0.07 seconds back.
The result carried historic significance. Odermatt earned the 100th World Cup podium of his career, becoming only the fifth man in history to reach that milestone.
Men with 100+ World Cup Podiums
- 🇸🇪 Ingemar Stenmark — 163
- 🇦🇹 Marcel Hirscher — 138
- 🇱🇺 Marc Girardelli — 101
- 🇳🇴 Henrik Kristoffersen — 100
- 🇨🇭 Marco Odermatt — 100
Despite the milestone, second place brought mixed emotions.
“I feel stupid that I can be that disappointed about second place here in Kitzbühel,” Odermatt said. “But we all knew that today, victory was my big goal, my big dream. I didn’t make it.”
Odermatt executed much of his plan and carried speed through the fastest sections, but lost decisive hundredths in the technical lower turns.
“I could ski my plan and it was a very good plan,” he said. “But Giovanni was seven hundredths faster. It was not enough.”
Muzaton Breaks Through at 35
France’s Maxence Muzaton delivered one of the most inspired runs of the day, charging into third place to earn the first downhill World Cup podium of his career.
Starting with bib 29, Muzaton attacked from the opening section and held on through the most demanding terrain on the course.
“I always have a good feeling here in Kitzbühel,” Muzaton said. “I’ve had many good results, but never good enough to get on the podium.”
“So today I did my best to push,” he added. “I had no regrets at the end. I’m very happy with third place.”
At 35 years old, the result marked only the second World Cup podium of Muzaton’s career, his previous coming in alpine combined in 2017, and confirmed the arrival of a new French contender on the sport’s most demanding stage.
Italy Builds Momentum Toward Home Olympics
Italy delivered a powerful statement in Kitzbühel:
- Two Italians inside the top four
- Three Italians inside the top 10
Alongside Franzoni’s breakthrough win, Florian Schieder finished fourth and Dominik Paris charged into seventh, blending youth and experience as Italy builds momentum toward the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
🇺🇸 United States — Points from Courage, Not Reputation
On a course that offers no margin and ends careers, the Streif produced an unusual U.S. points picture, with two non-Olympians delivering the only American top-30 finishes.
USA Finishers
- 19th — Bib 45 — 🇺🇸 Erik Arvidsson — YOB 1999 — +1.60
Stifel U.S. Ski Team — HEAD - 19th — Bib 37 — 🇺🇸 Wiley Maple — YOB 1996 — +1.60
USA independent — Atomic
Arvidsson survived a dramatic, nearly impossible recovery near the bottom of the course, while Maple backed up strong training with race-day execution.
Arvidsson Delivers on the Streif
For Erik Arvidsson, the result carried meaning far beyond the points.
Just 12 months removed from his second ACL surgery, Arvidsson delivered his best-ever downhill result in Kitzbühel and the third-best downhill finish of his career, a powerful marker on a long and uncertain road back.
“It’s been insanely rough with the injuries, and I’ve definitely doubted myself,” Arvidsson said. “Just being here racing was already a win.”
After struggling to find rhythm with limited downhill starts this season, Arvidsson put together a committed run on the Streif and capped it with a dramatic recovery low on the course to stay upright and inside the points.
Asked what message he would leave, Arvidsson didn’t hesitate.
“Never give up.”
Maple Matches Him as an Independent
Racing without national-team status, Wiley Maple delivered one of the most composed runs of the day, tying Arvidsson for 19th on the world’s most demanding downhill.
Maple said confidence built during training carried into race day.
“It was good to have two fast training runs and come into the race with confidence,” Maple said. “Finishing is a relief on this hill.”
On a track where simply reaching the finish is never guaranteed, Maple balanced aggression with determination, backing up his training speed when it mattered most and emerging tied as the fastest American on the day.
“I’ll take this confidence with me and hopefully finish the season strong,” he said.
🇨🇦 Canada — Depth on the Streif
Canada placed four skiers inside the top 30 on the Streif, led by Cameron Alexander, who continued a strong return from injury one year after finishing third on the Hahnenkamm downhill podium, alongside James Crawford, the defending Kitzbühel downhill champion.
CAN Finishers
- 14th — Bib 18 — 🇨🇦 Cameron Alexander (CAN) — YOB 1997 — +1.49
- 23rd — Bib 19 — 🇨🇦 James Crawford (CAN) — YOB 1997 — +1.65 — HEAD
- 27th — Bib 38 — 🇨🇦 Jeffrey Read (CAN) — YOB 1998 — +1.84 — Atomic
- 29th — Bib 21 — 🇨🇦 Brodie Seger (CAN) — YOB 1996 — +1.91 — Atomic
🔥 High-Bib Impact — Bib 31 or Higher
Late starters reshaped the race, proving that on the Streif, commitment can overcome start position.
- 8th — Bib 40 — 🇩🇪 Luis Vogt (GER) — YOB 2001 — +0.95
Fastest high-bib performance of the race - 10th — Bib 34 — 🇸🇪 Felix Monsén (SWE) — YOB 1994 — +1.26
- 12th — Bib 55 — 🇫🇷 Alban Elezi Cannaferina (FRA) — YOB 1996 — +1.44
- 15th — Bib 50 — 🇫🇷 Charles Gamel-Seigneur (FRA) — YOB 1993 — +1.55
- 18th — Bib 52 — 🇫🇷 Matthieu Bailet (FRA) — YOB 1991 — +1.59
- 19th — Bib 45 — 🇺🇸 Erik Arvidsson (USA) — YOB 1999 — +1.60 — HEAD
- 19th — Bib 37 — 🇺🇸 Wiley Maple (USA) — YOB 1996 — +1.60
USA independent — Atomic - 21st — Bib 36 — 🇫🇷 Blaise Giezendanner (FRA) — YOB 1992 — +1.63
- 24th — Bib 53 — 🇦🇹 Manuel Traninger (AUT) — YOB 2002 — +1.66
- 25th — Bib 31 — 🇦🇹 Raphael Haaser (AUT) — YOB 1997 — +1.69 — Atomic
- 27th — Bib 38 — 🇨🇦 Jeffrey Read (CAN) — YOB 1998 — +1.84 — Atomic
- 30th — Bib 41 — 🇩🇪 Simon Jocher (GER) — YOB 1996 — +1.99
Highest bib to score World Cup points: Bib 55 (FRA)
Fastest high bib: Bib 40 — Luis Vogt (GER)
Top 30 results
Click images to enlarge
Analysis of the top three and North Americans among the top 30
About the Author: Peter Lange
