Audi FIS Ski World Cup hits Europe for run of classic pre-Christmas races

After a run of remarkable North American races, the Audi FIS Ski World Cup rolls into Europe in December for a string of classic events across France, Italy, Switzerland and Austria.

Val d’Isere, France, is first up, with a men’s giant slalom (10 December) and the first men’s slalom racing of the year (11 December).

The French resort is legendary in competitive skiing circles, and home of the great Jean-Claude Killy and his compatriot Henri Oreiller – the ‘madman of the downhill’.

This time around it is all about the technical events, however. Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) will battle against a quality field, including several of his compatriots.

The women’s tour arrives in Sestriere, Italy, for a giant slalom (10 December) and slalom (11 December), with Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) leading the way – but Wendy Holdener (SUI) and Anna Swenn Larsson (SWE) will be buoyed following their debut victories in the discipline after long waits.

Sestriere, with its famous Kandahar Giovanni Alberto Agnelli slope, will, like Val d’Isere, demonstrate why it is among the world’s best places for ski racing.

There will be a variety of events running alongside the action, while a grandstand accommodating 750 people, and the new Cit Roc 6-seater chairlift, are also now in place.

The women’s slalom will have a higher start than previously, beginning at 2,250m and adding a steep new top section that will place extra technical demands on the racers.

Next on the women’s European voyage will be St Moritz, Switzerland, where they will compete in two downhill races (16/ 17 December) and a super-G (18 December).

Sofia Goggia (ITA) is the current downhill speed queen. She looked ominous for the opposition with her two victories at Lake Louise, and traditionally performs well in the pre-Christmas European races. Corinne Suter (SUI) showed her strength, meanwhile, by winning the super-G.

The men travel to Val Gardena/Groeden in Italy, contesting downhills on 15 (replacing Beaver Creek) and 17 December, with a super-G sandwiched between them, on 16 December. The men then move on to Alta Badia, where two giant slaloms take place on 18/19 December.

The perfect pre-Christmas aperitif is the men’s night slalom race in Madonna di Campiglio (ITA).

The year is then closed off in style with a men’s downhill (28 December) and super-G (29 December) in Bormio, Italy, while the women race at Semmering, Austria – replacing the cancelled Sölden event from the start of the season. They ski two GS races (27/ 28 December) and a slalom (29 December).

Odermatt looks to continue early season momentum

Marco Odermatt (SUI) will begin this Euro odyssey as scorching-hot favourite in Val d’Isere’s giant slalom.

He grabbed his first crystal globe in the discipline last season, as well as the overall World Cup title.

The speedster was victorious in five of his eight World Cup GS starts in 2021/22, including in Val d’Isere, and made the podium in the other three. He  added the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games gold medal to his haul, too.

At 25, Odermatt is in his prime, and there are no questions about his form coming into this event, either. Winning the super-G at Lake Louise last weekend, he said: “I had a great feeling while racing. When you cross the finish line more than a second in front, it is always a good sign.”

They are words that should strike fear into those trying to wrestle his title away. Who can possibly go ski-to-ski with the Swiss supremo?

Kristoffersen, 28, leads the opposition. Second in the GS standings last season, he’s taken seven World Cup wins in the event, including three last term.

The Norwegian technical specialist was overall GS World Cup champion in 2020 – and the trickier the course, the better.

Kristoffersen’s buccaneering young teammate Lucas Braathen (NOR), meanwhile, will want to show he’s ready to step up another level. Braathen won his debut GS in 2020, and grabbed two podiums last season.

At 22, there is plenty of room for improvement for the Norwegian – and the even younger Alexander Steen Olsen (NOR), 21, a junior GS champion, can also be a contender.

Manuel Feller (AUT), meanwhile, was third in giant slalom 21/22 and managed three podiums; Alexis Pinturault (FRA), Loic Meillard (SUI) and Zan Kranjec (SLO) are all capable of prevailing on their day, too.