Skiing, Gut wins in super-G but Italy is great: Brignone second, Bassino third and Curtoni fourth in St.Anton

ST. ANTON. Another day of glory for Italy’s pink ski. The avalanche is unstoppable. So in the second super-G of St.Anton, this time on a complete course, Federica Brignone and Marta Bassino take second and third place behind the winner, the Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami, in her 36th success in the World Cup. Fourth Elena Curtoni who loses the red bib of leader of the specialty and passes it to her teammate Federica Brignone, smiling and radiant in a weekend that gave her great sensations on skis and a new awareness that launches her towards the next end week in Cortina and towards the French World Cup in February (from 6 to 19).

«It’s an excellent Sunday even if I didn’t trust as much as I did on Saturday when I won. I’m happy. My next goal is to do well in Cortina, I’ve never been on the podium there. It will be stressful because I will feel compelled to perform. Last year I threw away the podium and finished fourth in the downhill, I made a mistake on the “Rumerlo”». It is a great Italy, in short, managed by the technical director Gianluca Rulfi who does not miss a beat. The coaches stopped Sofia Goggia today (she returned to Italy yesterday). No fractures for her after her fall, as the exams she underwent in Milan certified. A precautionary stop that allows the rider from Bergamo, leader of the speed classification, not to throw anything away from the point of view of results and above all in terms of Cortina, and to get back on track even mentally.

Returning to the race, the excellent third place of Marta Bassino, leader of the giant slalom standings, should be underlined: «The giant helps speed and speed helps the giant», explains the Cuneo native who will take stock tomorrow with the technicians to plan the calendar. Perhaps he will skip some descents in Cortina because the following week there are two giants scheduled at Plan de Corones (24 and 25 January, the second replaces the one canceled in the Czech Republic at Spindleruv Mlyn), one of his favorite hunting grounds and these two races will be important for the specialty classification.