Breezy Johnson / Soldeu, Andorra / GEPA pictures
The Women’s World Cup downhill returns Friday to Soldeu, Andorra, where 53 skiers from 13 countries will take on the demanding Aliga track.
The full official start list is set, the discipline standings are tight, and with Lindsey Vonn sidelined for the remainder of the season, the race for the crystal globe has shifted dramatically.
Aliga may mark the decisive turning point of the winter.
The Globe Race Blows Open
On paper, Lindsey Vonn still leads the downhill standings.
In reality, the title fight has been reset.
Vonn’s point advantage remains intact, but she will not add to it. With four downhills still to race and no opportunity for the leader to defend her position, the mathematics are unavoidable. A tightly packed group now has a direct path to the globe.
Tomorrow’s result will go a long way toward defining who remains in true contention when the tour reaches the Finals in Kvitfjell.
It looks like a shootout to the very end.
Women’s World Cup Downhill — Podium Table (2025–26)
| Venue | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Moritz DH1 | 🇺🇸 Lindsey Vonn | 🇦🇹 Magdalena Egger | 🇦🇹 Mirjam Puchner |
| St. Moritz DH2 | 🇩🇪 Emma Aicher | 🇺🇸 Lindsey Vonn | 🇮🇹 Sofia Goggia |
| Val d’Isère | 🇦🇹 Cornelia Hütter | 🇩🇪 Kira Weidle-Winkelmann | 🇺🇸 Lindsey Vonn |
| Zauchensee | 🇺🇸 Lindsey Vonn | 🇳🇴 Kajsa Vickhoff Lie | 🇺🇸 Jacqueline Wiles |
| Tarvisio | 🇮🇹 Nicol Delago | 🇩🇪 Kira Weidle-Winkelmann | 🇺🇸 Lindsey Vonn |
| Cortina d’Ampezzo (Olympics) | 🥇 🇺🇸 Breezy Johnson | 🥈 🇩🇪 Emma Aicher | 🥉 🇮🇹 Sofia Goggia |
Six races have produced five different winners. Head athletes have claimed four victories this season, while Atomic has taken two — including Olympic gold. Five nations have reached the podium, led by the United States with seven total appearances.
No one has controlled the discipline.
Now the athlete who set the benchmark is out.
Downhill World Cup Standings
(After Tarvisio — 5 of 9 races)
- 🇺🇸 Lindsey Vonn (USA, 1984, Head, Oakley) — 400 pts
- 🇩🇪 Emma Aicher (GER, 2003, Head) — −144
- 🇩🇪 Kira Weidle-Winkelmann (GER, 1996) — −168
- 🇮🇹 Laura Pirovano (ITA, 1997, Head) — −193
- 🇮🇹 Nicol Delago (ITA, 1996, Atomic) — −220
- 🇮🇹 Sofia Goggia (ITA, 1992, Atomic) — −220
Vonn’s lead is substantial. But without further starts, it is extremely unlikely to hold through the four remaining races.
Emma Aicher, Cornelia Hütter, Breezy Johnson, Sofia Goggia and others now control their own destiny. Every race from here forward reshapes the standings.
Aliga matters.
TOP SEVEN WCSL — Downhill
(Ordered by Bib Number — Soldeu)
- Bib 6 — 🇮🇹 Sofia Goggia (ITA, 1992, Atomic) — WCSL DH 5
- Bib 8 — 🇮🇹 Laura Pirovano (ITA, 1997, Head) — WCSL DH 6
- Bib 10 — 🇦🇹 Cornelia Hütter (AUT, 1992, Head) — WCSL DH 3
- Bib 11 — 🇩🇪 Emma Aicher (GER, 2003, Head) — WCSL DH 2
- Bib 12 — 🇮🇹 Nicol Delago (ITA, 1996, Atomic) — WCSL DH T-5
- Bib 13 — 🇩🇪 Kira Weidle-Winkelmann (GER, 1996) — WCSL DH 7
- Bib 14 — 🇺🇸 Breezy Johnson (USA, 1996, Atomic) — WCSL DH 4
(Lindsey Vonn remains WCSL DH 1 but is not entered.)
The decisive battle will likely unfold between bib 6 and bib 14 — the heart of the field.
🇺🇸 Stifel U.S. Ski Team — Women’s World Cup Downhill (Aliga)
- Bib 14 — 🇺🇸 Breezy Johnson (USA, 1996, Atomic) — Rowmark Ski Academy
- Bib 19 — 🇺🇸 Jacqueline Wiles (USA, 1992) — White Pass Ski Club
- Bib 22 — 🇺🇸 Keely Cashman (USA, 1999, Head) — Team Palisades Tahoe
- Bib 23 — 🇺🇸 Allison Mollin (USA, 2004, Head) — Team Palisades Tahoe
- Bib 25 — 🇺🇸 Isabella Wright (USA, 1997, Atomic) — Snowbird Sports Education Foundation
- Bib 28 — 🇺🇸 Haley Cutler (USA, 1997, Atomic) — Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (independent)
- Bib 47 — 🇺🇸 Tricia Mangan (USA, 1997, Head) — HoliMont Snowsports / Dartmouth College
- Bib 53 — 🇺🇸 Mary Bocock (USA, 2003) — Rowmark Ski Academy
Johnson enters as the reigning Olympic downhill champion. Wiles returns as a bronze medalist from the downhill leg of the Women’s Team Combined. Wright, Cashman and Bocock also competed in Milan/Cortina.
Experience will matter on this terrain.
What Aliga Demands
Aliga drops 710 meters vertically and rewards strength, balance and commitment. Long gliding sections punish hesitation. Terrain changes test timing. Strong, efficient weight shifts are critical.
Without Vonn setting the benchmark, the psychological dynamic shifts. The discipline is no longer about chasing the leader.
It is about taking it.
And with this field, the downhill globe may not be decided until the final race of the season.
Click images to enlarge
The women’s downhill takes place on Friday, February 27th, and begins at 5:00 a.m. ET / 2:00 a.m. PT. Fans in Great Britain can watch the race at 10:00
- 🇺🇸 United States: Live coverage and replay on Ski and Snowboard Live
- 🇨🇦 Canada: Stream on CBC Sports
- 🇬🇧 Great Britain: Races air live on Discovery+
Daily Program Women’s Downhill
Click on the image to download
Women’s Downhill Start List
About the Author: Peter Lange
