The Italian national ski team and Lindsey Vonn, aged 41, are excelling ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics. Nicol Delago secured her first World Cup win in a downhill event on home turf in Tarvisio, Italy, while Vonn clinched third place, marking her fifth podium finish in five downhill races this season. Val Grenier from St. Isidore, Ont., was the top Canadian performer, finishing in 39th place.
Delago’s triumph mirrored her Italian teammate Giovanni Franzoni’s recent victory in a super-G race in Wengen, Switzerland. The Milan Cortina Winter Games are set to kick off on February 6, with women competing in Cortina d’Ampezzo and men in Bormio. Delago edged out Kira Weidle-Winkelmann of Germany by 0.20 seconds and Vonn by 0.26 seconds.
Prior to this win, Delago had achieved three second-place and two third-place finishes. Her sister, Nadia Delago, who won a bronze medal in downhill at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, placed 10th in the event. Vonn, one of the few athletes to have previously raced in Tarvisio, expressed her joy at returning to the podium under challenging conditions.
The race saw Vonn leading in speed checks but veering off course due to the fog, impacting her final time. Despite a near mishap, Delago maintained control, extending her lead at each checkpoint. Vonn currently leads the downhill standings with a 144-point advantage over Emma Aicher of Germany, with four races remaining this season. In the overall standings, Vonn sits in third place behind Mikaela Shiffrin and Camille Rast.
The event was marked by fog affecting visibility on the course. Delago’s victory was celebrated as she kissed her ski at the finish line. The Olympic downhill event in Cortina is scheduled for February 8, with a super-G event in Tarvisio the following day.