Val Gardena: Von Allmen Tames the Saslong and Claims His Revenge

The Perfect Revenge

Franjo von Allmen won Saturday's Val Gardena downhill on the legendary Saslong, triumphing in 1:58.67 ahead of Marco Odermatt (+0.30) and Italy's Florian Schieder (+0.98). A victory all the more remarkable as it comes 24 hours after a heavy crash during the Super-G, where his airbag deployment raised serious concerns.

The reigning world champion in the discipline, the 23-year-old from Bern takes his revenge after two consecutive defeats to Odermatt on the Saslong: second in December 2024, then second again last Thursday in the sprint downhill by just 15 hundredths. This time, starting immediately after his rival with bib 7, von Allmen left nothing to chance.

The Art of Tightrope Walking at 130 km/h

Von Allmen's performance will be remembered for its total commitment and spectacular style. From the first gates, the Swiss skier adopted a daring approach, prioritizing pure speed over the perfect line.

The Camel Humps: Aerial Acrobatics

It was in the Saslong's most iconic section that von Allmen forged his victory. The Camel Humps, those three legendary bumps located mid-course at 1,813 meters altitude, became the stage for a true acrobatic display. Where most skiers absorb the first bump (the famous "Girardelli Line") before launching from the second toward the third, von Allmen literally flew above the course.

Pedaling through the air on jumps exceeding 60 meters, the Bernese skier repeatedly found himself off-balance, arms spread wide, searching for stability 4-5 meters above ground. But at each landing, he miraculously recovered, maintaining that insane speed reaching 130 km/h through this section with its 51.27% gradient.

The Ciaslat: Where Everything is Decided

If the Camel Humps provide the spectacle, the Ciaslat serves as judge and jury. This technical section at 1,720 meters altitude, with its **17 successive undulations** across the meadows of the same name, is renowned for separating podium contenders. Von Allmen excelled here, maintaining his trajectory through these four demanding turns that alternate compressions and releases.

It was precisely in this "corrugated terrain" that the difference grew with Odermatt. The world champion maintained remarkable fluidity despite his limit-pushing style, linking the waves without losing speed, where other competitors got shaken up and lost precious tenths.

"My goal was to have a good downhill without errors, to show good skiing. It was important, especially for morale after yesterday's crash."

Odermatt: The Fatal Imprecision

Marco Odermatt reigned on the "hot seat" for only seconds. First to start with bib 6, the Nidwalden native posted a time of 1:58.97 that provisionally gave him an 82-hundredth lead over Niels Hintermann. But von Allmen, starting immediately after, dislodged him before he could even savor his performance.

The Thursday Comparison

Unlike Thursday's sprint downhill where he claimed his 50th World Cup victory by dominating the Ciaslat with disconcerting ease, Odermatt committed some imprecisions this time in this crucial section. Entering the Ciaslat with less speed than in his victorious run, he had to play the tightrope walker to compensate for his small errors.

These adjustments, however minute at this level, cost the double Olympic champion three tenths. On a course as demanding as the Saslong, that's the difference between victory and second place.

Nils Alphand: Two Hundredths from the Dream

The French performance of the day undoubtedly belongs to Nils Alphand. With bib 25, the son of Luc Alphand (1997 downhill world champion) delivered a remarkable descent to finish fourth just 1 second behind von Allmen, or **two tiny hundredths from the podium**.

Alphand literally made the three podium finishers sweat during his run. Excellent through the Camel Humps section where he maintained a daring trajectory, he also shone in the Ciaslat by cleanly linking the 17 undulations. It was in the final schuss, after the Nucia jump and tunnel passage, that he slightly lost those few hundredths that would have propelled him onto the podium.

This result confirms the excellent form of the Frenchman who had already finished fifth on Thursday in the sprint downhill (+0.27). With two consecutive top 5s at Val Gardena, Alphand establishes himself as a serious medal contender for the Milano Cortina Olympics in two months.

France in Force

Beyond Alphand, the French team shone with **seven skiers in the points**, demonstrating impressive depth.

**Adrien Theaux** (9th, +1.29) with bib 29 delivered a solid performance. The 40-year-old veteran continues to excel on speed courses, confirming that experience counts on a downhill as technical as the Saslong.

**Nils Allègre** (18th, +1.90), after nearly claiming the podium Thursday (4th by 4 hundredths), dropped back slightly but remains in the points. **Blaise Giezendanner** (tied 14th, +1.83) with bib 37, **Maxence Muzaton** (23rd, +2.05), **Matthieu Bailet** (28th, +2.21), and **Charles Gamel Seigneur** (32nd, +2.31) complete a fine French haul.

The Swiss Surprise: Alessio Miggiano

With bib 43, Alessio Miggiano created a pleasant surprise by finishing fifth, 1.04 seconds behind von Allmen. The 24-year-old Swiss skier thus claims his **first World Cup points** of his career, and in what fashion: a top 5 on the legendary Saslong!

Miggiano managed his race perfectly, showing fine commitment through the Camel Humps and technical solidity in the Ciaslat. A revelation confirming the incredible depth of the Swiss downhill team, with five representatives in the top 10 (von Allmen 1st, Odermatt 2nd, Miggiano 5th, Hintermann 7th, Murisier tied 16th).

Italians Solid at Home

**Florian Schieder** completes the podium with a fine third place (+0.98). With bib 16, the Italian delivered a clean and committed descent, even though he finished nearly a second behind the Swiss duo who were clearly operating in another dimension.

**Dominik Paris**, the 36-year-old local legend and 2023 winner, finishes sixth (+1.11). The Italian veteran continues to shine on his favorite course, even if the podium eluded him this year. **Mattia Casse** (8th, +1.20), **Giovanni Franzoni** (12th, +1.72), and **Benjamin Jacques Alliod** (20th, +1.98) complete a strong Italian showing.

Alexis Monney's Crash

The race was marked by **Alexis Monney's** withdrawal after approximately 90 seconds of racing. The Swiss skier, 2025 World Championship downhill bronze medalist, completely missed a bump passage and crashed heavily, fortunately without apparent injury.

Was it a piloting error or fatigue? Monney was competing in his **third race in three days** after Thursday's sprint downhill and Friday's Super-G. Before his exit, he had already experienced some scares on a jump, suggesting he might not have been at his best.

Kilde's Absence: Mental First

The most notable absence of the day was **Aleksander Aamodt Kilde**. The Norwegian, making his return after **684 days away** following his terrible Wengen crash in January 2024, declared forfeit (DNS) this morning.

"I woke up this morning and didn't have the feeling I wanted. I'm not in a place where I want to take a risk, plain and simple."

A wise and courageous decision from Mikaela Shiffrin's fiancé, who prioritizes his safety and long-term progress. After participating in Tuesday's training (16th) and racing Thursday (42nd) and Friday (27th), Kilde preferred to listen to his instincts rather than force it.

The Norwegian, who underwent multiple surgeries (deep calf laceration, torn shoulder ligaments, summer infection, another operation in February 2025), is building his comeback progressively ahead of the Milano Cortina Olympics in February, for which he's qualified.

Val Gardena Weekend Summary

Three races, three Swiss 1-2 finishes. Von Allmen and Odermatt shared victories on the Saslong, confirming Switzerland's crushing dominance in downhill.

• Thursday: Odermatt 1st, von Allmen 2nd (+0.15) - 50th World Cup win for Odermatt
• Friday: Zabystran (CZE) 1st, Odermatt 2nd (+0.22) - first Czech men's World Cup win
• Saturday: Von Allmen 1st, Odermatt 2nd (+0.30) - the perfect revenge

The French also shone throughout the weekend, with Nils Allègre and Nils Alphand stringing together top 5s, and Matthieu Bailet claiming fifth in Friday's Super-G. Less than two months from the Olympics, the French team displays promising form.

---

Conclusion: On the legendary Saslong, Franjo von Allmen delivered an anthological descent, part acrobatics, part technique, to claim a prestigious victory and exact revenge on Marco Odermatt. With 50 days until the Milano Cortina Olympics, the message to the competition is clear: the Swiss are untouchable in downhill.