‘Completely unbelievable’: Franzoni stuns Wengen with maiden Super G win

Giovanni Franzoni (ITA/Rossignol) produced the run of his life to secure the biggest win of his life, grabbing victory in the Wengen men’s Super G on Friday.

Wearing bib No.1, the 24-year-old stood in the start gate at the top of the Lauberhorn, one of the most famous pistes on the planet, as a rising talent but one without an Audi FIS World Cup win to his name. One minute, 45.19 seconds later he had written his name into the annals of Alpine ski racing.

One by one the world’s best tried to match the pace of the young Italian but none could.

The great Marco Odermatt (SUI/Stöckli) – fourth on the day, 0.53 seconds back after a costly early error – summed up the mood in the finish area by telling Franzoni: “I saw your run and I said that’s No.1,” Odermatt acknowledged with a smile, before adding ruefully; “So clean, so easy.”

Austrian Stefan Babinsky (Head) further dampened the spirits of the huge home crowd by taking second (+0.35) – his first ever World Cup podium in his 94^th start – just two-hundredths-of-a-second ahead of last season’s Swiss winner Franjo von Allmen (Head).

'Mentally, I grew up a lot'

From the start it was all about Franzoni on a sun-baked opening day of the Wengen speed weekend. Taking full advantage of a clean, compact course, the Italian flew out of the gate, clocking the quickest times at each of the first three speed guns, including the crucial entrance to the famed Kernen-S. As is often the case, this impossibly narrow section of the Lauberhorn ended the challenge of many – including Odermatt and former Super G world champion Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT/Head) – but no such problems for Franzoni.

While the 140.44 kmph he clocked down the Hanegschuss, the fastest part of the Lauberhorn, ended up as just the ninth quickest, Franzoni was lightening down the critical closing Ziel-S section.

It all added up to a life-changing performance, and one that was even more impressive considering what had come before for the Italian down the Lauberhorn.

That memory was doing battle with better vibes inside Franzoni’s mind, with the Rossignol skier having also secured his first ever Super G World Cup points in Wengen in 2022.

“Today bib No.1 I had a lot of pressure but I just tried to enjoy the race and I was fast,” Franzoni said. “I was anxious because opening this legendary slope with this massive crowd is always unbelievable.”

Franzoni came into this season, one containing a home Olympic Winter Games, with just three World Cup top-10 finishes to his name. Now, he will head to Milano Cortina having already proved himself on home snow by grabbing third in the Val Gardena Super G in December, and as a Wengen winner.  

“It’s been a long journey because during the last three years I worked a lot. Mentally I grew up really, really a lot,” he said before dedicating his win to former teammate, Matteo Franzoso who died in a training crash in September last year.

“It’s always on my mind and I try to remember him always. I dedicated my first podium to him and also this victory. I said at the beginning of the season I would ski with him all my life.”

'Special for every racer'

For Babinsky and von Allmen podium places in Wengen will be celebrated, perhaps even more so for the 29-year-old Austrian.  Four times previously Babinsky has finished fourth, including in the Copper Mountain Super G earlier this season. But finally, in the Swiss sun, it was his time,

“It was a very good run and I am proud of it,” Babinsky said with a smile. “It was a tough fight the last years, I got some fourth places but never (a podium). I always trusted in myself and I think that’s probably the key.”

Just a year ago von Allmen stood on the top of the Super G podium but after a major error early on at Canadian Corner, he was delighted to just be in the mix once more.

“My run I am not too happy with, I had a big mistake and I was pretty surprised to go onto the podium with this run, so at the end of the day I would say really happy,” von Allmen reported before turning his thoughts to winner Franzoni.

He and the rest will get another chance to make memories down the Lauberhorn with the classic Downhill beginning in Wengen at 11:30 local time on Saturday.

“Start from zero tomorrow,” von Allmen said. “And we will see what happens.”

Check out the full results from the men’s Super G in Wengen here, with the latest season standings in the race for the Super G 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.