U.S. Ski Team veteran reflects on his first World Cup podium: “The carrot on the stick has just been moved forward, and now I’m chasing that.”
BORMIO, Italy — It was an outpouring of emotion in the Val Gardena finish area — an exhilarating moment that Jared Goldberg always knew he had within him. It just took longer than expected.
The 33-year-old U.S. Ski Team veteran achieved his first career World Cup podium in his 168th career start. Goldberg’s World Cup debut came in November 2012, in a super-G in Lake Louise, Canada. Twelve years later, the senior member of the U.S. men’s team charged to a breakthrough second-place finish, 0.01 seconds behind Italy’s Mattia Casse, in the Val Gardena super-G on Dec. 20. Goldberg’s stunning result came from bib No. 26.
“It’s been a pretty solid grind for a long time. I always believed I could be in there, and for a while, it was stressing me out,” Goldberg told Ski Racing Media after his first downhill training run in Bormio. “To finally do it was relieving and just felt great. I wasn’t so surprised.
“It felt really good to ski to my abilities. I’ve had a ton of speed for a long time, and it’s been a real learning experience figuring out equipment and how to make it work in World Cup competitions. It’s always been difficult because the way we train is not very close to how we race — the conditions are so much icier, bumpier, and darker.”
Goldberg stood on the podium with Casse and three-time overall World Cup champion Marco Odermatt, proudly donning his Snowbird, Utah, hat.
The Utah skier’s previous best World Cup result was fourth at the Hahnenkamm downhill in Kitzbühel in January 2023. Third place seemed certain until Italy’s Florian Schieder knocked him off the podium, benefiting from improving conditions as he raced with bib No. 43. It was a heartbreaking moment for Goldberg.
“I was pissed off, but I wasn’t going to let it ruin me,” Goldberg said. The disappointment was compounded when he crashed the next day.
Now, Goldberg can finally build on his first career podium finish.
“The carrot on the stick has just been moved forward, and I’m chasing it,” Goldberg said. “It keeps me motivated.”
Props and Praise for His Perseverance
Goldberg’s longtime U.S. teammate Ryan Cochran-Siegle, who landed on a downhill podium the next day in Val Gardena with a third-place finish, commended Goldberg’s patience and perseverance.
“It was a really cool day for him. He always skis with such high intensity, so I feel a lot of races have gotten away from him,” Cochran-Siegle said. “For him to stay in it mentally, not knowing how conditions would be but still giving it his best, was so awesome. It speaks to his veteran status.
“He juiced it and flew crazy far off the first jump. Then he landed it and committed into the next turns. You could see that he was gunning. He’s worked so hard, and it was so deserving.”
Goldberg also received praise from many longtime teammates.
Tommy Ford commented on Goldberg’s Instagram: “Nice work, dude! Congratulations. You were freaking hauling.”
Battling the Stelvio: This Weekend and Beyond
Goldberg carries his momentum into this weekend’s doubleheader in Bormio, Italy — the Stelvio downhill on Saturday, followed by Sunday’s super-G.
“Just keep trying to ski well and trust our prep period. I made a lot of good steps in my skiing,” Goldberg said. “I feel balanced, and it’s just trusting being in a good place.”
Goldberg, racing in Bormio for the ninth time, shared his impressions after Thursday’s training run on the notoriously dark, knee-jarring Stelvio piste.
“It was bumpy for the first training run, but I’ve definitely seen worse before. Half of it is pretty gnarly, and the San Pietro jump today was crazy big. I did a hockey stop before it, ditching a ton of speed so I didn’t flatland — just trying to save my back and knees.
“But the bottom was really nice. It was like grippy Colorado snow. I felt great there, and I’m pretty sure I won that split,” Goldberg said.
These races hold extra significance, as they will be the final World Cup events on the unforgiving Italian piste before the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
“It will ski easier with more light and better snow conditions in February,” Goldberg said. “It’s motivating for me — a cool opportunity to see what this hill feels like in February. It will be easier and more fun.”
A Fresh Mindset
Goldberg credits his podium success to a fresh perspective in his 15th season on the U.S. Ski Team.
“I’ve had a lot of decent results, but when you have a lot of bad luck, at some point you just say, ‘Screw it,’” Goldberg said. “At some point, I came to peace with being happy with whatever I can do. My expectations changed from when I was younger.”
“I changed my mindset to being happy with good skiing and not always looking at the results. I was overdoing it and skiing above my limits sometimes, which led to crashes. Part of the reason I’ve been fast is that I ski on the limit. Then you fall, and you’re injured. These things can delay you for years.”
Reflecting on Goldberg’s superb performance, fresh outlook, and revitalized confidence, it seems those delays are finally over.
Follow Brian on Instagram: @brian.pinelli.
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About the Author: Brian Pinelli
