Jakob Dusek relishing bronze medal success

Austria’s Jakob Dusek is no stranger to podiums. He’s stood on 12 World Cup podiums in his career, and won the 2023 World Championships.

But on 12 February in Livigno, Dusek earned one of the most memorable medals so far – bronze at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Having reached the big final fairly comfortably, Dusek was the slowest out of the gates and found himself trailing France’s Aidan Chollet, Canada’s Eliot Grondin and his teammate and defending champion Alessandro Haemmerle.

Dusek stayed patient, and got himself back with the pack. When his first overtake attempt failed, he was patient again, and on the last big turn got himself into medal contention. A good closing straight gave him the speed he needed to claim bronze and push early leader Chollet out of the medals.

“I could have done a little bit better on the last jump, I was a little bit high there, and also on the right side of the track there wasn’t many lines to follow so I was riding in the fresh snow that was falling during the race, pretty much, which probably slowed me down a little bit,” remembers Dusek, of the race.

Dusek joined Haemmerle and Grondin on the podium, with the gold and silver a match for the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

“I’m super happy with the medal I got, and that I could stand up there on the podium and celebrate – celebrate with the Austrians, and especially with Izzi (Haemmerle),” says Dusek.

Dusek was lucky to be able to race at all. In September last year, while mountain biking in Livigno – the same place the Olympics were held – he partially tore his ACL, and was only given the green light to get back on snow three months before the Games.

“First I thought the injury wasn’t that bad, just bruised up and I just needed to get two weeks of rest in, and then I’m all good again,” says Dusek. “Once the doctor saw the pictures he was like ‘ooh, this is not looking that good’.”

“The first thing I asked was ‘what can I do so I can ride in Livigno in February?’” he continues.

Together with his medical team, Dusek decided to try and recuperate without having an operation, which, he admits, “worked out amazingly”.

Now, a week after the big final, back home in Austria, Dusek says: “I don’t think that it has sunk in. Today’s the first day at home, and I think it still needs some time.”

He has fond memories of the Olympic Games, particularly the atmosphere at the Livigno Snow Park.

He also has praise for the course-setters, and the design of the racing track.

“I really liked that it was a longer course again with a minute-plus of race time. I think it gave good racing, and also overtaking opportunities, and most of all a fair race. There were not really any pinch points that were causing crashes or anything, which was pretty good,” he adds.

But now, Dusek’s attention is turning to the World Cup races to come: two in Erzurum, Türkiye; one in Montafon, Austria; and two to finish the season in Mont-Sainte-Anne, Canada. Dusek has had a mixed World Cup season so far, finishing 20th in Cervinia in December, then winning on the first day in Dongbeiya, China, in January, but coming 14th on day two.

That puts him fourth overall with the five races to come, behind Adam Lambert (AUS), Grondin, and Jonas Chollet (FRA), with Haemmerle in fifth.

“I’m looking forward for the rest of the season. I hope that I can stay on racing like I’m racing at the moment, have fun on the course and enjoy all the runs that I’m able to do,” says Dusek.

 “Mostly I’m looking forward to the home World Cup in Montafon, which is happening; also the season finale in Canada is always a season highlight and they always have a nice course over there, which I really like to ride. I’m excited, and excited to race more.”