Delago tames foggy Tarvisio Downhill for first World Cup win

Nicol Delago (ITA/Atomic) won a foggy Audi FIS World Cup Downhill in Tarvisio on Saturday to record a first World Cup victory of her career.

With the snow wet underfoot and fog rising and drifting through the day, it was the early skiers who seemed to get the best of conditions on an Italian slope hosting a World Cup race for the first time in 15 years.

Delago had put down the fastest run in training the day before, and that gave her the confidence in bib number three to fly down a course that had not yet been cut up by a field of hopeful skiers.

The 30-year-old skied aggressively to cross the finish line to the sight of a green light and more than a second between her and the next fastest athlete. It was still early in the race, but as the competition and the fog rumbled on, it became more and more apparent that her time of 1:46.28 was going to be difficult to beat.

So it proved for compatriot Sofia Goggia (Atomic), who would eventually finish 11th, and so it even proved for Lindsey Vonn (USA/Head), who won the last World Cup race here in 2011.

Vonn finished third (+0.26) as she continued her run of being on every podium in each of the five Downhill races so far this season, while Kira Weidle-Winkelmann (GER/Rossignol) finished second (+0.20) for her second podium of the season and eighth of her career.

"I was so nervous this morning and I couldn't wait to go down to ski this slope. I really like this course," said Delago, who beat the previous best finish by an Italian skier at Tarvisio when Elena Fanchini came seventh in 2011.

"I tried to ski fast but I didn't think it was a perfect run.

"I'm so happy right now."

Weidle-Winkelmann was second fastest on the first day of training and sixth fastest on the second, and the German was pleased to carry that momentum into the race.

"I think my skiing right now is quite good. I feel confident and I'm really happy that I could make it from my training into the race. Two small mistakes but in general I'm happy with my run," she said.

"It's a new track for most of us and first training was a little confusing. It took me really, really long to inspect and remember the course.

"I already had a good feeling on the first day. Yesterday was a little different, colder snow, more aggressive, more bumpy and I didn't have the confidence.

"Today the visibility was better for me. It was softer snow, slower, and the skiing was solid."

Vonn, who has extended her lead at the top of the Downhill standings following her podium finish, said: "It's crazy that I'm back here after 15 years.

"Unfortunately I don't remember the track from 15 years ago!

"Everyone said 'Oh, it's a big advantage because you're the only one that's skied here'. It's not an advantage because I don't remember it.

"But I do remember the fans and I do remember the atmosphere. It's so fun to race when there's so many excited people and fans. It makes racing World Cup that much more exciting.

"It was actually really tough and I tried not to have too much expectation because I knew these other girls were going to be fast.

"The snow was really soft, it was really hard to see in the middle and I made a pretty big mistake but I'm happy to be on the podium again.

"For me what's important is to be consistent and I'm really happy that I could do that despite the conditions."

'Truly wonderful news for me'

It was an overall good day for Italian skiers. Delago's sister Nadia finished tenth, one place ahead of Goggia, while Laura Pirovano (Head) finished tied sixth to make it four Italian skiers in the top 11 on home snow, less than a month out from the home Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

And those Olympics could incredibly feature a huge name who has been missing from the circuit in recent times. Petra Vlhova (SVK/Rossignol) last competed in a World Cup race on 20 January 2024 in Jasna, where a big crash necessitated two knee surgeries which have kept her out of action ever since.

However, on the morning of the Tarvisio Downhill, nearly exactly two years on from that crash, Vlhova dropped the bombshell news that she has set her sights on defending the Slalom gold she won at Beijing 2022.

The highly decorated 30-year-old says she will only make the final decision two days out from the Milano Cortina Slalom, and asked fans to "keep your fingers crossed for me".

"I've just completed a medical check-up, and based on the results, my medical team and physiotherapists have cleared me for full skiing intensity," she said in a post on social media.

"After two very challenging years, this is truly wonderful news for me. Given the current situation, it might sound a bit crazy, but despite how little time is left until the Olympics, I've decided to fight for the chance to compete.

"I can't guarantee that I'll reach this goal, but I can promise you I will do my absolute best every single day to earn the chance to be part of the Slovak Olympic team and represent our country.

"I'll be training hard, taking it day by day and closely monitoring how my knee responds to the load. With respect to my body, I will make the final decision about competing 48 hours before the Slalom race.

"You have been a huge support throughout my entire journey, and your encouragement has always meant the world to me. However, this time I'm going to need you more than ever before. Thank you for your trust, support and understanding. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Let's do this!"

Check out the full results from the women’s Downhill in Tarvisio here, with the latest season standings in the race for the Downhill Crystal Globe here.

Also, do please head to Reuters Connect and Actionpress.de to view and purchase a wide selection of photographs from this race and from all FIS events.