There is a familiarity about the start list for run 2... The man of the season so far with two wins and a second place showed the rest of the field how to race the imposing Gran Risa hill in posting the fastest time. Marco Odermatt leads from bib 2 with bib 1, Luca di Aliprandini in second just 0.18 behind him. As for the rest, it is Alex Schmid of Germany who is in third 0.86 back. the top five is rounded out by Stefan Brennsteiner and winner of the previous day, Henrik Kristoffersen, just 0.99 back.
Odermatt and di Aliprandini really took their opportunity well on the first run with the clean course, set by the Americans. With River Radamus battling his way down to 8th from bib 17, expect more fireworks from the rising American ex Junior World Champion on the second run.
With the top 15 finishers on the first run within 2.13 seconds of the leader, the renaming 15 qualifiers for the second run are separated by just 1.13 more seconds. The quality of the skiing showed by the two leading racers is of the highest calibre. the question now is will the course deteriorate on the second run in the same way the first run did, even though seven racers from outside the top 30 starters made the cut, or will the gap that Odermatt and di Aliprandini have be enough?
The big surprise from day one, Patrick Fuerstein failed to make the cut this time, placing 32 after the first run so the likes of Filippo Della Vite and Simon Maurberger will be looking for the home nation determination to give them the power to put in a great performance. They go one and two on run two.
There will be words in the Zampa hotel this evening as younger brother Andreas came down from bib 51 and pushed his older brother out of the 30 as he went into 28th! Joy and pain!
First run results