Ten Swiss downhill skiers aiming to shine in Crans-Montana

Switzerland will naturally be the nation to beat on Sunday in the downhill race held on the Nationale slope in Crans-Montana. One year after an incredible Swiss podium sweep, the red-and-white downhill skiers are determined to repeat the feat. To do so, they can rely on a strong squad that is building momentum as the Milan–Cortina Olympic Games approach.

Last year’s heroes, Franjo von Allmen, winner of the downhill, Marco Odermatt, second in the downhill and winner of the super-G, and Alexis Monney, third in the downhill and second in the super-G, will once again be the main favourites on the Valais slope. The Swiss team also welcomes back Niels Hintermann, who has recovered from lymph node cancer and recently delivered strong performances in Val Gardena, seventh, and Kitzbühel, sixth. The skier from Zurich will be part of the Olympic journey, as will Stefan Rogentin, who is also competing this weekend on the Haut-Plateau.

Who will claim the final spots?

Justin Murisier, who missed the chance to compete in his third Olympic Games, will certainly be eager for redemption in Crans-Montana. The Valais skier hopes to prove that he is still skiing at his best level. Young prospects Alessio Miggiano, an excellent fifth in Val Gardena, and Livio Hiltbrand, qualified thanks to their strong results in the European Cup last winter, will also be in action. The same should apply to Lars Rösti, although the skier from Bern has recently dropped out of the world top 30, unless the coaches decide to pit him against skiers who have delivered strong performances in the European Cup in recent weeks.

Indeed, two additional Swiss skiers will be allowed to take part in the official training sessions on Friday and Saturday, with one of them being selected for Sunday’s downhill. This could include Lenz Hächler, Sandro Manser, Gaël Zulauf or Arnaud Boisset. All of them are competing this week on the continental circuit in Verbier, where downhill races are still scheduled for Thursday and Friday. They are aiming to score valuable points in the fight for a permanent starting spot, reserved for the top three in the European Cup standings, for next season among the elite. It now remains to be seen how the coaches will decide to allocate all these talents.