Bormio Stelvio Races Preview

Dominik Paris. Bormio, Downhill 2021. Picture: Erich Spiess / Red Bull Content Pool

Bormio will host the last two races of 2024 for the Men.

Bormio is a town and comune in the Lombardy region of the Alps at the center of the upper Valtellina valley. Some of the most beautiful and meaningful pages of alpine skiing were written in Bormio. This is where champions such as Deborah Compagnoni and Pietro Vitalini started their careers and some of the most beautiful and meaningful pages of alpine skiing were written.

Bormio has a well-earned reputation on the men’s circuit as being one of the most challenging Downhill races in the world with racers facing a dark, fast, bumpy, and icy ride year after year.

Alongside the Streif of Kitzbuhel, the Stelvio slope is considered to be one of the most technical and spectacular slopes in the world.

Champions of the caliber of Luc Alphand, Stephan Eberharter, Johann Grugger, Lasse Kjus, Hermann Maier, Daron Rahlves, Andreas Schifferer, Hannes Trinkl, Fritz Stobl, Bode Miller, and Michael Walchhofer have triumphed on the “Stelvio”.

It was inaugurated in 1982 for the first edition of the World Series. The course hosted two editions of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, in 1985 and 2005. It also hosted two World Cup Finals, in 1995 and 2008. Since 1993 the Stelvio has yearly hosted the World Cup Downhill Men.

In the 2026 Winter Games, the Stelvio will be the official venue for all the Alpine Skiing Men races.

The Bormio races in the Stelvio will start on December 26 and 27 with two official trainings. On Saturday, December 28, the speed specialists will compete in the classic Downhill race. Sunday, December 29, will be Super-G time.

Bormio (ITA)

December 28th Downhill / Men 11:30 CET

December 29th Super-G / Men 11:30 CET

Stelvio Racecourse facts:

• Start Elevation: 2255m (Downhill)

• Finish Elevation: 1,245 m

• Vertical Drop: 1010 m (Downhill)

• Distance: 3250m (Downhill)

• Max. slope: 63 %

Dominik Paris is the King of the selective and exhausting Stelvio. The 34-year-old Italian skier won the Downhill in Bormio six times (2012, 2017, 2018, a double in 2019, and 2021). Bormio means a lot to the Südtiroler as many career highlights, including his first World Cup win, have come in the Italian ski resort. Paris set in 2021 a new record for most World Cup Downhill wins at a specific ski resort, edging Didier Cuche with five in Kitzbühel.

Paris also won a Super-G in 2018. The only male skier to have achieved more than seven victories in World Cup speed events at a single resort is Aksel Lund Svindal (8 in Lake Louise). Paris is tied in this ranking with Kjetil Jansrud (7 in Kvitfjell).

Last season, in his tenth participation in Downhill in the World Cup, Cyprien Sarrazin triumphed in the Stelvio. The 30-year-old French skier achieved in Bormio his second victory and third podium in the Alpine Ski World Cup. His two previous podium finishes were a victory in the Parallel Slalom in Alta Badia in 2016, and a second place in the Alta Badia Giant Slalom in 2019.

Only Marco Odermatt represented a real threat to Sarrazin's victory finishing +0.09 seconds behind. Cameron Alexander finished in third place +1.23 seconds behind the French.

Cyprien Sarrazin was the first French skier to achieve a victory in the Men's Downhill World Cup since Adrien Théaux won in Santa Caterina on December 29, 2015. He also secured the first French Downhill victory on the Stelvio since Luc Alphand won in 1996.

Last season, Marco Odermatt won the last Men's race of 2023 with another outstanding performance. The 27-year-old Swiss outclassed the competition in the Super-G in the Stelvio and won with a lead of 0.98 seconds over Raphael Haaser. Aleksander Aamodt Kilde finished third +1.31 seconds behind.

Listen to the following Podcast if you want to know more about one of the toughest Downhills on the World Cup Calendar.