Favorites for the Crans-Montana Downhill?

The question on every ski fan's mind is: who will win the World Cup downhill on the Nationale slope this Saturday? The second training session has already provided some insights, as some of the circuit’s big names are at the forefront, starting with Italian Dominik Paris, who ahead of American Ryan Cochran-Siegle and world champion Franjo von Allmen.

In fact, RTS consultant Patrice Morisod considers the Bernese skier as the main favorite for this weekend's race. "With his skills, he will be very strong," he predicts, while also expressing caution about the two men who were the fastest on Friday. "Dominik Paris is likely to play at the front, and as for Ryan Cochran-Siegle, we’ll have to see if he can confirm his performance in the race, as that’s not always the case."

A slope for gliders, not necessarily for technicians

But for the valaisan, the winner is to be found among these three names. "The Nationale slope is made for athletes who know how to glide, and maybe less for technicians like Marco Odermatt." Didier Cuche agrees with this assessment. "The warm snow will also make things harder for the technicians. Glide and equipment will play a significant role."

Cuche, who won one of the two Super-G races held in the resort in 2012, believes we can expect "an open race," on a track that most skiers are discovering. "This element shakes up the cards a lot. Experienced skiers have the disadvantage of not being able to rely on their knowledge as they would on other downhill courses. So, we could see new names emerge."

Being precise on the edges

The Neuchâtel skier, who will of course be present at the finish area in the Barzettes stadium this Saturday, also sees the Americans as a strong factor. "They often perform well on similar tracks, like in Wengen and Val Gardena. Ryan Cochran-Siegle, with his height, is capable of managing the many changes in terrain very well."

What’s the key to victory? "Be precise and soft on the edges, hold the tuck position, and keep the line," analyzes Patrice Morisod. That will be essential to succeed Josef Strobl, the last Austrian to win a World Cup downhill at Crans-Montana during the finals in 1998.