Italian Skier Franzoni Takes Second at Courchevel, Eyes Final Podium in Downhill Standings

Italy's Giovanni Franzoni claimed his fifth World Cup podium of the season today in Courchevel, France, finishing second in the downhill. The 24-year-old from Manerba sul Garda now sits 3rd in the downhill standings with 354 points—up from 274 before this race—positioned for a final podium spot in the discipline with only one race remaining before the season-ending Finals in Kvitfjell, Norway.

The result reflects a transformative season for the Italian squad, which has demonstrated consistent strength throughout the speed disciplines. While Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr ended a painful 23-race winless streak today, Italy has maintained competitive depth across the season, fielding three athletes in the top five of the downhill standings—a first in recent memory.

Why This Matters

• Italian speed skiing renaissance: The national team now fields three athletes in the top five of the downhill standings, a first in recent memory.

• Franzoni's career year: Six podiums (including Olympic silver) and three victories make 2025-2026 his breakthrough campaign.

• Odermatt clinches history: Switzerland's Marco Odermatt secured his 5th consecutive overall World Cup title with six races still to go, matching the records of Marc Girardelli and Mikaela Shiffrin.

Kriechmayr Ends Austrian Drought

Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr crossed the finish line in 1:47.26 on Courchevel's Eclipse piste, breaking a painful 23-race winless streak for the historically dominant Austrian downhill program. The drought dated back to March 15, 2023, in Soldeu—ironically, also a Kriechmayr victory.

Franzoni trailed by just 0.09 seconds (1:47.35), while Odermatt rounded out the podium at +0.31 seconds (1:47.57). For the Swiss superstar, the third-place finish was enough to mathematically lock up both his 3rd consecutive downhill globe and that landmark 5th overall crystal globe.

"I didn't expect to ski well in this heat—I really suffer in warm conditions," Franzoni admitted post-race. "This was my first time on this piste, so I focused more on pushing hard than precision on the lines. At the end of the season, energy and concentration are both low, but I'm proud of how consistent I've been across different snow types and courses."

The warm, difficult spring snow at high altitude tested technique and wax preparation alike. Franzoni's ability to adapt—historically not his strongest suit on slick surfaces—signals maturation as a complete downhiller.

What This Means for Italian Skiing

The Italy national alpine team has emerged as the primary challenger to Swiss dominance in the speed disciplines, a role Austria held for decades. The standings tell the story: behind Odermatt's commanding 610 points and Switzerland's Franjo Von Allmen at 435 points, three Italians occupy the next three slots.

• Dominik Paris: 325 points (4th)

• Giovanni Franzoni: 354 points (3rd, updated after Courchevel)

• Florian Schieder: 251 points (5th)

Paris, the veteran from South Tyrol, finished 15th today in 1:48.84, just missing the points that would have kept him ahead of Franzoni. The two will now face a direct battle for the final podium spot at next week's Finals on Kvitfjell's Olympia course—a track where Paris has historically excelled.

"Probably at the Finals, Domme and I will fight for third place," Franzoni acknowledged. "But he scares me on that hill."

Also scoring for Italy: Benjamin Alliod finished 14th (1:48.82), Mattia Casse 18th (1:49.09), and 36-year-old Christof Innerhofer 20th (1:49.18), demonstrating depth across age groups.

Odermatt's Relentless March into History

At 28, Marco Odermatt has now secured five consecutive overall World Cup titles, drawing level with legends Girardelli and Shiffrin. He trails only Marcel Hirscher, who claimed eight straight between 2012 and 2019.

His haul at such a young age is staggering:

• 54 career World Cup victories (tied Alberto Tomba as of December 2025)

• 102 total podiums (54 wins, 30 seconds, 18 thirds)

• 13 discipline globes: 4 giant slalom, 3 super-G, 3 downhill

• Olympic medals: 1 gold (giant slalom, Beijing 2022), 2 silver (giant slalom and team combined, Milano Cortina 2026), 1 bronze (super-G, Milano Cortina 2026)

• World Championship titles: 3 golds (downhill and giant slalom in 2023, super-G in 2025)

With 1,590 points in the overall standings, Odermatt holds a 632-point cushion over Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who competes only in technical events. The margin is mathematically insurmountable with six races left.

The one trophy still eluding him? Victory on the Streif in Kitzbühel—the most storied downhill in the world. Franzoni beat him there in January, adding another chapter to their budding rivalry.

A Season Forged in Tragedy and Triumph

Franzoni's magical run began modestly: a 3rd place in super-G at Val Gardena on December 19, 2025, his first career World Cup podium. Then came the deluge.

• January 16, 2026: Victory in the Wengen super-G, his first career win, plus 3rd in downhill

• January 23, 2026: Historic win on the Streif in Kitzbühel

• February 15, 2026: Olympic silver medal in downhill at Bormio (Milano Cortina 2026)

• March 13, 2026: Runner-up at Courchevel

Throughout, he has carried the memory of Matteo Franzoso, his close friend and teammate who died tragically during a summer training session in Chile. Franzoni has dedicated the season to him.

By the numbers, Franzoni now has 594 points in the overall standings (8th place), 354 in downhill (3rd), and 240 in super-G (5th). With two super-G races scheduled at Courchevel this weekend (Saturday and Sunday), he has a realistic shot at cracking the super-G podium as well, where Austria's Kriechmayr currently sits 2nd with 267 points behind Odermatt's 425.

The Road Ahead

Weather disruptions forced organizers to flip the schedule at Courchevel, moving the downhill to Friday and slotting two super-G races for the weekend. Franzoni will be a marked man in both.

Next week's World Cup Finals at Kvitfjell (March 19–23) will determine the final discipline standings. The Norwegian venue's Olympia course is steep, fast, and unforgiving—tailor-made for veterans like Paris, but also a track where Franzoni has shown he can compete. For Italian ski fans and sports enthusiasts across the country, this represents a rare opportunity to watch a homegrown athlete battle for a season-ending podium on one of the sport's most demanding stages.

Meanwhile, the women's circuit resumes tomorrow in Åre, Sweden, with a giant slalom followed by a slalom on Sunday. American Mikaela Shiffrin is chasing yet another overall title, though she faces stiff competition.

For Italian skiing, this season represents a generational shift. Paris, now 35, remains elite but is nearing the twilight of his career. Franzoni, Schieder, Casse, and Alliod form a young core capable of sustaining Italy's position atop the speed disciplines for years to come. The strong showing at the Olympics and now consistent World Cup performances have reignited national pride in alpine skiing.

Austria, by contrast, faces uncomfortable questions. The nation that produced Franz Klammer, Hermann Maier, and countless downhill legends has now gone more than two seasons without a victory—a gap Kriechmayr finally closed today. But one win does not reverse a trend.

As Franzoni put it: "I'm improving on slippery snow that hasn't always been my forte. I'm proud of my consistency across different tracks and conditions in a season where I've had to manage tension and a packed calendar."

That consistency, paired with fearless attacking, has made the 24-year-old from Manerba sul Garda one of the most compelling stories in world skiing. And with the Finals looming, his story is far from finished.