Ski: Federica Brignone wins super-G in Kvitfjell, 25th success

Sensational victory for Federica Brignone in the second super-G in Kvitfjell, a race plagued by many interruptions due to the fog that raged on the track. Even when Federica came down the fog hindered visibility, but the Valle d’Aosta carabinieri faced the slope with great courage, putting in almost perfect skiing and clearly separating all her opponents.

Federica Brignone’s time was 1’37″30 for her 25th victory

Brignone’s time was 1’37″30, 61 hundredths better than her closest rival, Lara Gut-Behrami, who today has to settle for second place, and 79 hundredths ahead of Ester Ledecka, who returns to the World Cup podium.

This is victory number 25 for Brignone, the tenth in super-G, the fourth of the season, and podium number 66 of her luxurious career. A race won with courage and technique, but also with a lot of tactical intelligence, with Federica able to correct the small mistakes made in Saturday’s race to capitalize on her speed as much as possible.

Gut-Behrami is still in the lead in the specialty rankings

The specialty ranking does not undergo any shakes and still sees Gut-Behrami in the lead with 540 points, against 471 for Hutter and 466 for Brignone, who however keeps open the theoretical possibility of taking home the cup in the last race of the season, in Saalbach , even if it will not be easy to recover the 74 point deficit.

Federica Brignone is second in the general

In the general Brignone takes second place with 1268 points, behind Gut-Behrami at 1594, and ahead of Mikaela Shiffrin at 1209. The other Italians are further behind: Marta Bassino finishes in 15th place, Roberta Melesi is 18th, Laura Pirovano 22nd, 25th Teresa Runggaldier. The jury therefore decided to stop the race at number 41. The race is valid.

Brignone: «No one saw too much today, we had to adapt»

«I’ve always said that I don’t want to win a pack race – Brignone recalled – It can happen when doing an outdoor sport that there are particular conditions. Today I certainly can’t say that I went down in the best conditions, just look at the images. Then, probably, some athletes who came down after me found worse conditions: I’m sorry. I improved a lot in speed compared to last year, I worked a lot on it, even with my brother, and then I have to thank my skiman Sbardellotto who always puts me in the best conditions. Today the post-race was tougher than the race. Nobody saw too much today, we had to adapt. In general, in races where there is waiting, I manage to activate at the right time. I’m having fun and I like what I do. I don’t see why I should stop. Then at the end of the season I will do the evaluations as always. I have the same number of podiums as Stefania Belmondo, an athlete I respect very much. These are important numbers. I think I will also do the slalom in Are and I would like to finish the season at my best.”

Bassino: «Impossible to perform»

«At a certain point, I could no longer see from one door to the other – Bassino complained – and so it was really impossible to perform. Now we’ll stay here to do two days of giant slalom training and then leave for Are.”

Melesi: «I have to improve»

«I think I’m in the 25th – said Melesi – but today I wasn’t able to give 100%, I have to improve and put all the pieces of the race together».