Marta Bassino's Extraterrestrial Victory: Azzurra Dominates the Downhill Run in Crans Montana

2024-02-17 11:06:00

Showed an extraterrestrial run: The “Azzurra” Marta Bassino. © ANSA / JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT

Nothing there with Lara Gut-Behrami’s next victory! Anyone who had guessed that the Swiss would demonstrate her power again was completely wrong on the second downhill run in Crans Montana on Saturday. Instead, an “Azzurra” took the triumph, having already put in a strong performance on Friday.

February 17, 2024

From: mv

The slope was – like on Friday – very soft. On Saturday the goal was not moved up four goals again, but rather properly prepared in the goal area. Marta Bassino started the race with the early start number 3, showed an extremely good run and crossed the finish line 1.8 seconds ahead of the Frenchwoman Laura Gauche, who was leading at the time. At first they didn’t think much of it, after all the departure of the exceptional Swiss rider Lara Gut-Behrami was imminent. But by the time she entered the finish area with start number 7 and a gap of 1.11 seconds flashed on the huge monitor, it was clear: Marta Bassino’s run was not only very good, but extraterrestrial. In the end, the racer from Piedmont actually took victory – ahead of compatriot Federica Brignone and favorite Lara Gut-Behrami.

Marta Bassino will probably never forget this descent. The soon-to-be 28-year-old (she will celebrate her birthday on February 27th) has only been on the podium once in a downhill event – namely in Bansko in 2020. Back then there was even an all-Italian podium: Elena Curtoni won ahead of the aforementioned Bassino and Federica Brignone (3rd). And it almost happened on Saturday too. While Brignone took second place, Laura Pirovano also showed a strong run, but had to settle for fifth place, 13 hundredths of a second behind Lara Gut-Behrami.

Strong balance sheet for “Azzurre”

Nevertheless: three “Azzurre” in the first five positions is a very strong result. South Tyrolean Teresa Runggaldier also showed an extremely strong performance. The 24-year-old from Val Gardena achieved her best result to date in just her 10th World Cup downhill: 11th place, at the same time as the Austrian Cornelia Hütter. Only a single hundredth of a second separated Runggaldier from a top 10 place.

Teresa Runggaldier achieved her best World Cup result to date with 11th place. © ANSA / ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE

Nicol Delago also gave a good performance. The 28-year-old from Val Gardena finished just behind Runggaldier in 15th place. The other South Tyroleans Nadine Delago (32nd), Sara Thaler (37th) and Vicky Bernardi (43rd) all ended up outside the top 30.

Day of sensations

And as if Marta Bassino’s fabulous run wasn’t enough, there was another sensation on Saturday. Elvedina Muzferija from Bosnia-Herzegovina, whose best World Cup result so far was a 14th place in the Super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo this year, rode like she was unleashed on Saturday and finished at the end – just behind Gut-Behrami and 0.02 Seconds ahead of Pirovano – in fourth place.

In the overall World Cup, Lara Gut-Behrami continues to lead ahead of the currently injured US girl Mikaela Shiffrin and third-placed Federica Brignone. The next chance to collect points will be tomorrow, Sunday. At the end of the speed weekend in Crans Montana, a Super-G is on the program from 10.30 a.m.