The Celebration at Home for Switzerland

It’s going to be amazing! They made us dream in Austria, and now they are back home. On Saturday and Sunday, the best Swiss speed specialists will thrill us on the Nationale slope as they return to the World Cup after a two-week magical break.

The weekend on the Haut-Plateau offers an impressive lineup: Three world champions will be present – Marco Odermatt (super-G), Franjo von Allmen (downhill and team combination), and Loïc Meillard (slalom and team combination). They will be joined by Alexis Monney, a double medalist, and Stefan Rogentin, who claimed bronze during the incredible Swiss triple win in the team combination.

Who will follow in Didier Cuche’s footsteps?

These five renowned and talented skiers have every chance to climb the podium during the two races scheduled in Crans-Montana. Except for Loïc Meillard, who will only compete in the super-G, all will participate on Saturday and Sunday. Justin Murisier also joins the group. The winner of the Beaver Creek downhill has all the tools to claim victory in front of his fans.

Facing fierce international competition – including Raphael Haaser and Vincent Kriechmayr from Austria, Dominik Paris from Italy, Miha Hrobat from Slovenia, and James Crawford from Canada – the Swiss skiers are considered favorites. They hope to add their names to the winners' list and follow in the footsteps of Didier Cuche, who won the super-G in 2012 during the last visit of the men’s World Cup circuit to Crans-Montana.

“A slope for Swiss skiers”

“This slope is made for the Swiss, especially in the downhill, where a skier must be complete,” analyzes Didier Défago, the general director of the World Cup races. Jean-Philippe Vuillet, the race director, adds: “We are not safe from a surprise.”

That surprise could certainly be Swiss, as the Swiss contingent also includes promising young athletes like Bernese Livio Hiltbrand and the two Romands Christophe Torrent and Gaël Zulauf. These three skiers already shined last week during the European Cup races on the same Nationale slope. Livio Hiltbrand and Gaël Zulauf finished first and third in the initial downhill race, marking a remarkable six-fold Swiss success – just hours before Valaisan Christophe Torrent triumphed in the second event.

The Dress Rehearsal for the 2027 World Championships

On the Nationale slope, which will return to its historic downhill route with a start from the summit of Bella Lui for the first time since 1987, the best Swiss skiers will aim to shine before a supportive home crowd. With world champions and ambitious young talents, everything is set for a spectacular show.

In two years, these stands will roar for the World Championships. But this weekend, they will already offer a taste of the Swiss passion – a dress rehearsal for both the fans and the athletes who want to leave their mark on the venue. For if the slope is made for the Swiss, the crowd is ready to carry them to new heights.