Dominik Paris produced a run down the Stelvio piste in Bormio that made the Norwegian speed machines of Aksel Lund Svindal and Kjetil Jansrud step up their determination. The Downhill title will be won and not given away this season. With Beat Feuz taking fourth and Hannes Reichelt fifth this was a race that gave the purist watching the race a serious interrogation of the main protagonists for the Downhill title this season.
Training was limited to just the one training run, won by Peter Fill with fellow Italian Christof Innerhofer eight hundredths behind him and Matthias Mayer eighteen hundredths. With the start delayed due to course preparation, this allowed the full length of the course to be used, including the daunting Cuik jump.
Mayer was the first to show his hand yet his time was bettered almost immediately by Kjetil Jansrud and then Svindal came down and edged out his teammate. Thoughts of a second double for their serviceman Stefan Bertold in a row began to murmur when Beat Feuz came down to make it the top four racers all on Head.
The joy at Kennelbach was shattered when the big Italian, Dominik Paris started making his mark at the top of the hill. Split times were marginally faster than Svindal at the top but by the last split approaching the finish section, Svindal was ahead.
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BORMIO, ITALY - DECEMBER 28: Kjetil Jansrud of Norway competes during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men's Downhill on December 28, 2017 in Bormio, Italy. (Photo by Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom)[/caption]
With thirteen hundredths separating Svindal and Jansrud, Paris could have slotted in anywhere. While both Svindal and Jansrud had not had the best splits into the finish, Paris found the time to be fastest where it counted, at the finish line. Six hundredths ahead of Svindal for him to win the eighth Downhill of his career and ninth World Cup race.
After the race Jansrud looked back at the race with a sense of satisfaction despite finishing third: "I have no good history on the Stelvio, never been in the points. And now on the podium, I am satisfied. I am satisfied with my skiing, it is a difficult track."
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BORMIO, ITALY - DECEMBER 28: Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway competes during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men's Downhill on December 28, 2017 in Bormio, Italy. (Photo by Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom)[/caption]
Svindal was happy as well: "I think my run was quite good. I wanted to race a narrower line than in practice. The snow is a bit strange. It's tough, but when you're on top of it, there's something going for it. I think I drove a bit too hard. Paris went well and I'm just behind."
Even until the end Paris was not sure he would stay on the podium: "I hope I stay on the podium. It was not a bad ride. A few small Hakler were already there, but I think I took the momentum well. Thank God it was a good run from me again. I feel good there - already in the first training it went well."
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BORMIO, ITALY - DECEMBER 28: Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway takes 2nd place, Dominik Paris of Italy takes 1st place, Kjetil Jansrud of Norway takes 3rd place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men's Downhill on December 28, 2017 in Bormio, Italy. (Photo by Christophe Pallot/Agence Zoom)[/caption]
After four races Svindal has a healthy 78 point lead in the race for the Downhill Globe over Feuz with Jansrud in third just ahead of Mayer. Svindal has been on the podium in all four races so far.
Hirscher leads three Norwegians in the race for the Overall with Kristoffersen in second, Svindal third and Jansrud in fourth.
Sunday sees the first Alpine Combined of the season for the men. First run is at 10am UK time with the slalom leg at 2pm.
Full results