Sofia Goggia wins today in Crans Montana her fifth Downhill race in the World Cup this season. It's her 4th win in the Mont Lachaux Downhill racecourse.
The 30-year-old speed specialist finished 0.15 seconds ahead of teammate Federica Brignone, with French Laura Gauche in third 0.41 seconds behind Goggia. Brignone and Gauche, with bibs 21 and 26 respectively, benefited from better visibility when they started.
For the first time in her career Goggia has won five Downhill World Cup events in a single season. The last woman before the Italian to win five Downhills was Lindsey Vonn in 2015-2016.
With 22 wins, Sofia Goggia is the Italian skier with the most victories in the World Cup.
After seven Downhill races with only two more on the calendar (in Kvitfjell and at the Finals in Soldeu), Sofia Goggia leads the Downhill standings with 580 points, 179 points ahead of Ilka Štuhec. Elena Curtoni is third with 288 points.
For the Olympic champion, it was the 22nd World Cup victory and the 17th in a Downhill. In Women's World Cup Downhill events, only Lindsey Vonn (43), Annemarie Moser-Pröll (36), Renate Götschl (24), and Michela Figini (17) have celebrated as many victories as Goggia.
"It was really a relief for me because I crashed in the one and only training run at the fifth gate. I didn't test the slope, I didn't know exactly where to go. So, I started to analyse and watch the other girls and I could learn how to do this Downhill. So basically I said to myself at the start gate: 'OK, do your race, stay on your feet and do the line that the coaches told me. It was important, not the victory itself, but to do a good performance, and this is what I was aiming for", Goggia said. She once again proved her mental strength after she was able to hide the memories of her fall on the Downhill Training.
Today's podium is Federica Brignone 5th podium in the Downhill and her 54th in the World Cup. Until today, Federica Brignone had been the most successful skier at the World Cup in Crans Montana with four victories, all in the Alpine Combined, but she had never been on the podium in the Downhill.
"I was surprised and really happy but when I saw the 0.15 I said, 'Only 0.15? I could have done really some turns better,' but that's skiing. I would have loved to win my first downhill but I'm really happy. I'm so proud of what I did today. I tried my best doing my characteristics of a GS skier and to let my ski go and slide and make a lot of speed", Brignone said.
Laura Gauche achieved today in Crans Montana her maiden podium in the World Cup. Her best result until today had been a 5th place in the Super-G in Zauchensee last season. In the Downhill, the 27-year-old French skier finished 7th in Cortina d'Ampezzo in January as her best result.
"It's amazing. I didn't expect this podium. The conditions were very different from those in training. I haven't had an easy time recently, so I'm pleased that it has worked out now. I already thought that I wouldn't manage it, and almost gave up. It means even more to me now", Gauche said.
"I feel lucky with the visibility. I know I had to attack the slope because of the visibility so that's just what I said at the start: 'Attack and see what happens", she added.