«A priest helps us to overcome the pain for Elena Fanchini»- Corriere.it

First in the last downhill test on the Roc de Fer slope at the Courchevel-Meribel World Ski Championships, on Saturday 11 February there is the big appointment with the free world championship. The Bergamo player gave almost half a second to the Austrian Mirjam Puchner and the Norwegian Kajsa Lie, bronze in the super-G. On Sofia’s face there is a beautiful smile “after crying all the tears she had for Elena Fanchini”.

How is Sofia Goggia doing?

«It was a good test, I had to put more intensity into it than yesterday. We did a nice video analysis. It’s a track that needs to be interpreted a lot, I have to fix some little things. We tried to use a strategy to try to gain 3 km/h. Playing with lucidity and anticipation ».

How much does 3 km/h change?

«Nothing or everything if you miss those 7 cents to attack a curve».

Half a second is a lot.

«I don’t know if the others fired, even in practice I always use the sweat suit and not the racing suit. It covers more but cuts the air less».

How does he handle the pressure?

«I don’t feel it now, if it were to come I’ll try to use it to put it on the outside ski. It is the best way to download the useless one. I feel serene, this morning I woke up with a light heart because yesterday was a devastating day. When we heard about Elena we all went haywire. I did well on skis, but then…».

But what?

“When I got back to the hotel I cried for three hours straight, I couldn’t stop. I went to Johnny, one of the staff figures who knows me best, he’s been seeing me since I was 17: I threw myself on the bed and he cried too. He did me good to empty all these tears. I’ve never cried so much in my life, but I’ve never lost a friend. Today I said to myself: “Imagine if it had happened today in what conditions we would have had to face the race”. And instead yesterday a priest also gave us a hand to overcome the moment ».

A priest?

«Yes, he is the priest of the World Cup team. With the other girls we sat in a circle holding hands. He talked, we cried. This thing has helped us a lot. He created a beautiful energy between us. We said to each other: “girls, think what the f… do we get lost sometimes”. And so we decided to remember Elena for those beautiful things she left us. We relived a lot of funny anecdotes ».

Let’s go back to tomorrow’s descent. Differences in atmosphere compared to a year ago in Beijing?

«That here I can get to the interview area even on my legs. In Beijing it was very difficult for me. It has been a crazy and desperate journey where they have reached the limit. I feel 100 thousand times better than in Beijing. I feel pretty calm. Then clearly there I could have done everything, I could have even reached tenth. Second, third and no one would tell me anything. Please don’t point the finger at me here, I don’t necessarily have to win.”

Are the difficult days behind you?

«It was not an easy approach at all, but now we are here, we have all the weapons in place to do well. Lucidity, concentration and desire to fly and that’s it. And I’m here at the World Cup. Being at the gate of the World Cup is the dream of every child who wants to achieve a medal. So I enjoy this possibility.”