VAL GARDENA, Italy (Dec. 19, 2014) - There are some downhill courses that suit certain athletes. And the fabled Saslong in Val Gardena is that downhill course with the U.S. Ski Team's Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT). On Friday, Nyman etched his name once again into the annals of skiing history as he won his third career downhill in one of his sport's most challenging races. Coming off a podium finish at the Audi Birds of Prey in Beaver Creek, Nyman ripped to a 1.51 second lead from the lucky seven start position, and hung on to take a .31 second margin over World Cup downhill leader Kjetil Jansrud of Norway. Dominik Paris of Italy was third.
LISTEN: NYMAN'S COMMENTS ABOUT HIS VAL GARDENA WIN
Val Gardena's Saslong downhill is the jewel of the Dolomites - a classic on the Audi FIS Ski World Cup. It's the December ritual for the men, offering a long and challenging piste with dark December shadows, nasty early season snow and the fabled camel bumps coming into the finish. It has taken its toll on many a ski racer over the years and few have mastered it like Nyman, who became only the fourth athlete to win three times. "I’ve always felt comfortable here from the first day I arrived in 2005," said Nyman.
Nyman takes the win at Friday's Val Gardena downhill. (Getty Images/AFP-Olivier Morin)
Nyman's secret in Val Gardena goes back to his days as a junior racer in Utah where he learned how to ski terrain. As an early season race, the Saslong throws terrain at you from start to finish. "This year the snow is so thin - you’re feeling the fields underneath the snow. It’s just rally all the way down the hill. You have to keep driving over that to show it who’s boss or it will show you who’s boss," laughs Nyman. "A big thing here is projecting your body over those blind rolls and jumps and going over them with confidence. If you go over with hesitation, that’s lost speed."
Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) was the only other American in the points, finishing 13th. The men take to the Saslong again on Saturday for a super G, before heading over the mountain to Alta Badia on Sunday where Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) and Austria's Marcel Hirscher will square off in an epic matchup in one of the tour's most notable giant slaloms. Universal Sports will air the Val Gardena downhill at 11:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. EST on Friday.
Nyman gets air on the famed downhill course. (Mitch Gunn)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Steven Nyman's win was his third in Val Gardena, winning in 2012 and 2006.
- The win moves Nyman into an elite group of only four athletes who have won three or more times on the downhill. Both hometown hero Kristian Ghedina and the incomparable Austrian Franz Klammer have won four times, with Swiss Peter Mueller and Nyman both with three victories.
QUOTES
Steven Nyman
I’ve always felt comfortable here from the first day I arrived in 2005. It was like, ‘I like this hill.’ I could see what I needed to do and I was ready to do it, but I crashed. And the next year I won. And the next year I crashed. I’ve actually crashed here as much as I’ve won! It treats me well, but sometimes it slaps me.
I love the terrain. Growing up in the western U.S. we do a lot of terrain camps when we’re younger and learn how to work the terrain and do the jumps and double jumps. So I’m comfortable with that. It was engrained in me as a kid.
It’s different this year because the snow is so thin - you’re feeling the fields underneath the snow. It’s just rally all the way down the hill. You have to keep driving over it to show it who’s boss or it will show you who’s boss. A big thing here is projecting your body over those blind rolls and jumps and going over them with confidence. If you go over with hesitation, that’s lost speed.
I told myself I have to try to win by a lot because Jansrud is so good. I was skiing well this fall and I was beating him then. I know I can beat him, but I have to risk everything. Do I want the win or just get a good result? I said, ‘I want to go for the win and I know I can win here.’
Sasha Rearick, men's head coach
It was great. Awesome day. Conditions were good. In Val Gardena, you always get changing conditions. The guys at the start get an advantage because the course is holding up, but the guys running later get a lighting advantage. There are always a lot of jumps at Val Gardena – it’s like a motocross track. The terrain was more abrupt and sharper, so being able to keep the skis on the snow and get back to the ground as soon as possible leads to great skiing here.
Steve’s feeling great; he’s on fire. He should be proud of what he’s accomplished here, and so far this season. Travis missed one turn at the top. It’s a critical turn and he pinched it off. If you pinch it off, you lose speed. Looking forward to tomorrow. The course set is very straight.
RESULTS
Official Results
