Goggia eases her pain with World Cup super-G win as Vonn takes third / Photo: Jeff PACHOUD - AFP
Goggia eases her pain with World Cup super-G win as Vonn takes third
Sofia Goggia banished "the pain in my soul" as she won a wind-swept super-G in Val d'Isere on Sunday as Lindsey Vonn continued to collect podium places on her comeback.
Italian Goggia finished her run in 1 minute 20.24 seconds to edge New Zealander Alice Robinson, winner of the only previous women's super-G this season, by 0.15sec.
"Wen I crossed the finish line I didn't think it would last for the victory," said Goggia, who started sixth.
"I'm glad I was wrong."
In Saturday's downhill, Goggia was fastest at halfway before an error dropped her to 11th.
"Yesterday was a tough day," she said. "When I came back to my hotel I cried for an hour. I felt pain in my soul and in my heart for the chance I missed."
She said she planned to celebrate.
"We will bring some champagne," said Goggia. "We are in France after all."
Vonn, who hit 105 kilometres per hour (65 mph), the top speed of any of the contenders, near the end of her run, was 0.36sec behind Goggia. It was the 41-year-old American's fourth top-three finish in nine days.
Vonn said she had lost a crucial bit of time early on.
"I didn't quite have enough direction on the first jump," she said. "After that I skied well and I'm happy with my skiing today, unlike in the super-G in St Moritz where I was too conservative."
"I know where I made mistakes and I know where it's costing me," Vonn said, adding she was learning from her near misses as the Milan Cortina Olympics approach.
"In Cortina, I'll be in a good place," she said
Robinson said she was frustrated by her near miss but star-struck at the finish.
"It was so cool to share the podium with Sofia and Lindsey, " said the 24-year-old. "A dream podium."
The veteran Vonn, 2010 Olympic downhill champion, has made a remarkable return to the circuit after years out following the fitting of a titanium prosthesis to her right knee.
Last Friday in St Moritz Vonn won her first World Cup race since 2018 in the downhill to throw down the gauntlet to her far younger rivals ahead of the Cortina-Milan Winter Olympics in February.
The headwind caused problems for racers but switched directions at the top of the course giving lower-ranked later skiers a push at the start.
The competition was briefly interrupted when a giant inflatable cheese, advertising an Italian brand, escaped its tethers and knocked down the course-side fence and was removed entirely.
A.Nagel--BVZ
