Gut-Behrami blazes to yet another super-G victory in Cortina d’Ampezzo
Jan 28, 2024·Alpine Skiing
Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI) once again demonstrated her mastery of the Olympia delle Tofane piste winning her third World Cup super-G in Cortina on another sun-drenched day in the Italian Dolomites.
The Swiss four-time World Cup super-G champion won Sunday’s super-G by 0.21 seconds ahead of Friday’s downhill winner Stephanie Venier (AUT). Romane Miradoli (FRA) was third, 0.41 off Gut-Behrami’s winning time of 1:20.75 on the 2,150-meter track.
Gut-Behrami skied smart and clean, on a slope that has proved extremely challenging over previous days, resulting in numerous falls.
“I’m happy with my solid run – I tried to stay safe and often to be safe means to be aggressive,” Gut-Behrami said. “I tried to do my thing and found the lines I wanted, but today was not the day to risk too much.”
Racing bib No. 6, Gut-Behrami crushed the lower section of the Olympia delle Tofane, increasing her 0.26 advantage at the second interval to 0.94 at the third ahead of then leader Kira Weidle (GER). She crossed the line with a massive 1.33 second lead, having clocking the fastest third sector and second-fastest final sector of the course, sections that numerous athletes struggled, including multiple crashes.
“It was a tough day and somehow it’s hard to keep the focus on skiing,” Gut-Behrami said. “You have to be safe and ski, but you have to stay healthy. And the slope was really great."
Gut-Behrami achieved her 41st career World Cup victory, and 21st in super-G, adding to her pair of wins in Cortina in 2014 and 2018. The 32-year-old veteran also brought home world titles in super-G and giant slalom on the future Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic piste, in Feb. 2021. She also won a downhill in Cortina in 2017.
Attaining 100-points for her win, Gut-Behrami edged past Venier in the World Cup super-G standings, now leading the Austrian 320-310. If the Swiss star can maintain the lead and win a fifth small globe in the discipline, she’ll move one past Lindsey Vonn and Carole Merle, while equaling German Katja Seizinger’s record of five.
Gut-Behrami puts a cherry on top of a sweet three days of racing in Cortina, having finished second and fifth in downhills on Friday and Saturday.
Venier continued her consistent racing with a second podium in three days also, having taken top honors in Friday’s opening downhill.
“My skiing was not bad today, I made some mistakes, but I’m happy anyways,” Venier said.
Asked what has been the positive difference in her racing as of late, Venier responed: “I think my mindset is better and my confidence is back and it is making it easier for me."
For Miradoli, it was her fourth career World Cup super-G top three.
“I just can’t believe it – I had so many emotions from the first race here in downhill,” Miradoli said, referring to a mistake-filled 33rd place on Friday. She improved to tenth on Saturday.
Miradoli’s performance is especially impressive as she is on the comeback trail this season. She suffered a season-ending left knee ACL injury last March during official downhill training in Kvitfjell, Norway.
“After an injury it’s never easy and I just trusted myself and I’m really happy with my skiing today,” said the 29-year-old French skier.
Ragnhild Mowinkel (NOR), the defending Cortina super-G champion and winner of Saturday’s downhill just missed her second podium in three days, 0.12 seconds behind Miradoli, in fourth.
“I’d rather ski like I did today and make a mistake, rather than coming to the finish knowing what you could have done,” Mowinkel said.
“I’m really happy with my skiing and it has really progressed these past couple of days and weeks,” the Norwegian said. “Right now, I’m back to where I feel I should be which is really nice.”
The ‘Big Three’ Italians Sofia Goggia, Marta Bassino and Federica Brignone all managed to crack the top ten, finishing fifth, sixth and ninth, respectively.
The women’s Audi FIS World Cup tour now shifts to nearby Kronplatz for a giant slalom on Tuesday.
