The Swiss current overall World Cup leader says he will “put everything on the line” in Thursday’s downhill, but Kilde and the Americans are the racers to beat. Bryce Bennett seeks to repeat his 2021 victory.

Val Gardena/Gröden, ITALY

All attention is deservedly focused on Marco Odermatt and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde in Val Gardena/Gröden at the 55th edition of the Italian races.

The overall World Cup leader Odermatt will make his Val Gardena/Gröden debut, while his friendly rival Kilde seeks a third consecutive downhill victory, following triumphs in Lake Louise and Beaver Creek. Two downhills are scheduled for the venerable Saslong course. The opener is slated for Thursday as a replacement race from Beaver Creek. Saturday will be the classic Saslong downhill.

Race organizers switched the previously scheduled downhill training from Wednesday to Tuesday. Wednesday became an off-day for racers with a grueling race schedule over five consecutive days. Three speed races in Val Gardena will be followed by two giant slaloms in nearby Alta Badia.

Kilde trails Odermatt by 140 points in the overall standings. He seeks to make up ground and extend his current downhill victory streak from the North American races.

Kilde assesses his training run

“My run today was okay. I tried to get a feeling for the slope because with the many key sections it has, the Saslong surprises with different tricky parts every year, which you should know before tackling the races,” Kilde said after his training run on Tuesday, having eased up on sections. 

“I have a clear plan for the two downhills and the super-G and I’m going into the competitions with confidence, even though I know, of course, that anything can happen,” said the Norwegian, seeking to defend his downhill title this season.

Kilde won last year’s super-G here but then suffered a DNF in downhill. He was nearly a second ahead of eventual winner Bryce Bennett entering the lower Ciaslat section but couldn’t control his speed. He lost his line and nearly crashed.

The powerful Norwegian racer has four career victories (two downhill, two super-G) at the Dolomites venue. He swept two races in 2020.

Odermatt’s debut awaits

Odermatt is excited to race speed events in the South Tyrol Dolomites resort for the first time. However, he is keeping his expectations realistic on the unfamiliar course, revered for its famed Camel Humps trio of jumps and unpredictable Ciaslat minefield of terrain.

“Being fast here certainly won’t be easy, but  I will put everything on the line,” Odermatt said after his training run. “I have to see how far my energy will go because with five races in five days; a real mammoth program awaits me.

“For the downhill, I would place my bets on Kilde and the Americans, who always know how to perform here. For me, personally, my hopes for a good result certainly exceed my expectations.”

Odermatt arrives in Val Gardena/Gröden, fresh off his staggering 1.40 second margin of victory in last Sunday’s Val d’Isère giant slalom. His confidence is undoubtedly high, but the Saslong piste will be a new test.

Americans’ home away from home

Val Gardena/Gröden is like a home away from home for the U.S. racers. Their track record on the Saslong speaks for itself.

Six-foot-seven Bryce Bennett conquered the Saslong track, speeding to his maiden World Cup victory here last December. Steven Nyman has won the Saslong three times but will sit out the upcoming races due to a hand injury sustained in Beaver Creek. Bode Miller won a super-G in 2006 and was second in a downhill in 2008, leading five Americans into the top ten. Colorado legend Billy Kidd won gold in combined and bronze in the slalom at the 1970 FIS World Championships.

Seeking to defend his Saslong downhill title, Bennett showed form on Tuesday finishing 12th in training, + 0.79 seconds behind Nils Allegre of France, who clocked 2:06.13. Jared Goldberg finished eight (+ 0.74). Veteran Travis Ganong ended 10th (+ 0.78).

“Here in Val Gardena/Gröden, my teammates and I always have great fun. U.S. athletes grew up on hills like these with lots of jumps, so we feel right at home on the Saslong,” Ganong said. 

“The snow was certainly not as fast today as it normally is in the races. Still, some jumps took us quite far. Let’s see how the slope develops until the downhill.

“Kilde is the top favorite in the two downhills. But, in my view, he also has a chance for victory. It would be brilliant if Bryce could repeat his performance from last year.”

Never count out the Americans in Val Gardena/Gröden.

Val Gardena weather forecast

Snowfall is expected in the region, but it most likely won’t start until Thursday afternoon. Additional accumulation, potentially 15 centimeters, is forecasted on Friday. It could pose problems for the super-G. 

The three-day race program concludes with the traditional ‘Saslong Downhill’ on Saturday. If all goes as planned, Friday’s super-G will mark the 100th race in Val Gardena/Gröden’s history.

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