During the two days of practice runs, they posted the first and second fastest times. They didn’t hold back and prepared for a day that promised to be significant—and it turned out to be extraordinary. Sofia Goggia and Federica Brignone painted the blue skies over Cortina in tricolor as they claimed first and third places, respectively, in the downhill race on the Olympia delle Tofane. The event marked the start of the two-day Audi FIS Ski World Cup, organized by Fondazione Cortina and an important test ahead of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics. Perfect weather and a packed crowd: tickets sold out, with 5,000 attendees.
The “Queen of Speed” reclaimed her throne on the iconic Cortina course. Starting with bib 15, the champion from Bergamo posted the fourth-fastest time in the first sector, tenth in the second, first in the third, tenth in the fourth, and second in the final one. In the end, she finished first, greeted by a roaring crowd, the largest ever seen at the Rumerlo finish area. For Goggia, this marks her fourth victory in Cortina, following her downhill wins in 2018, 2022, and 2023.
Trailing the Lombard athlete by 42 hundredths of a second was Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie, who started with bib 8 and led the race until Goggia’s run. Federica Brignone finished third. The “tiger” from La Salle finally broke her Cortina curse by making it onto the podium.
"Today, I was incredibly emotional and tried to focus only on myself," said Sofia Goggia. "It wasn’t a perfect downhill; maybe I skied a bit cleaner yesterday. The snow was more aggressive, and I think I lost some speed, but I was very effective in closing the turns. At the end, my heart was in my throat, and it was amazing to hear the roar at the finish. For me and all of us Italians, Cortina is not just another race; it’s the most beautiful and possibly the most special stage. Cortina has always been my dream track.”
"Today, I had a plan and executed it. I’m really satisfied," said Kajsa Vickhoff Lie. "The snow was perfect, the course was beautiful. And, have you taken a look around? I mean, it’s stunning. This landscape reminds me why I love what I do and feel fortunate to call it my job. And yes, this is definitely a place to have a lot of fun!”
"I finally made it onto the podium here in Cortina," commented Federica Brignone. "It’s a pity I made a mistake at the Argano section, where I had been flawless yesterday, and that left me uncertain about finishing in the top three. This podium means a lot to me. In past years, I always did well in practice but was too tense during the race and didn’t ski my best. Today, I felt calm and confident from the start. I’m experiencing so many firsts this season, from my Cortina podium to wearing the leader’s bib in the downhill standings. What’s the next ‘first’ I’d like? Tomorrow.”
Tomorrow, Sunday, January 19, the Audi FIS Ski World Cup will conclude with the Super-G.