BORMIO, Italy — As the Olympic Games in Milan Cortina approach, Switzerland is redefining its strategy in alpine skiing, particularly in the newly introduced team event. Four-time overall World Cup champion Marco Odermatt has teamed up with the proficient Loic Meillard for this unique competition, which features one skier tackling a downhill run and another skiing in slalom, with their combined times determining the team’s results.
The Swiss team had previously demonstrated their strength at last February’s world championships, where Franjo von Allmen, the Olympic downhill champion, and Meillard secured gold, contributing to a medal sweep for Switzerland. In the upcoming Olympic event, von Allmen will pair with Tanguy Nef. Additional Swiss teams include Alexis Monney with Daniel Yule, and Stefan Rogentin with Matthias Iten, showcasing a robust lineup.
Marco Odermatt, who chose to forgo the team combined event at the world championships, is now focused on clinching his first Olympic medal after narrowly missing out with a fourth-place finish in the downhill. He previously captured gold in the giant slalom at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and all eyes are on him as he aims for success in Milan Cortina.
Italy is also fielding a competitive squad with Giovanni Franzoni, the silver medalist in downhill, partnering with Alex Vinatzer, while bronze medalist Dominik Paris teams up with Tommaso Sala. The American contingent includes Kyle Negomir and River Radamus, rounding out the roster for the team event.
On the women’s side, the competition will take place the following day, where it is anticipated that downhill winner Breezy Johnson will join forces with the renowned Mikaela Shiffrin. The duo previously triumphed at the world championship, finishing ahead of Swiss rivals Wendy Holdener and Lara Gut-Behrami, who is unfortunately sidelined due to a knee injury.
The introduction of the team event not only adds an exciting dimension to the Olympics but also showcases the depth of talent within these national teams, promising thrilling performances as they compete for the coveted medals.