Czech Zabystran records debut win with brilliant Super G in Val Gardena

Jan Zabystran (CZE/ Kaestle) produced the result of the season so far to win the Super G at Val Gardena – beating the all-conquering Marco Odermatt (SUI/Stöckl) into second place.

27-year-old Zabystran has been steadily improving over recent years, but the powerful Czech cannot have expected a performance like this, which yielded Czechia’s first win in a men’s Alpine Audi FIS World Cup.

Starting with bib number 29, he was precise and aggressive throughout to register his first Audi FIS World Cup win and podium, +0.22 seconds in front of Odermatt.

Val Gardena is famed for late, lower-ranked victors, but it still took the ski of a lifetime to get ahead of the Swiss great, who must have thought that back-to-back Val Gardena victories were inevitable after he had put down a near-faultless run. 

Giovanni Franzoni (ITA/ Rossignol) also wrote his name in lights. A former Junior World Champion in Super G and Downhill, he announced himself on the senior scene on home snow, with a dynamic performance to grab third.

Zabystran relishes golden moment: “I thought I could be top 30”
Zabystran has been laying down some consistent finishes this term, but nothing like this was on his radar. 

The conditions were favourable compared to Thursday’s fog. The route started from the same point as yesterday’s Downhill, and the gate positioning made it extremely direct, favouring the faster skiers.

The course also seemed to be getting quicker as the day wore on. Nevertheless, this kind of display was something out of the ordinary.

“It was so fast,” said Zabystran.  “Yesterday I was 32nd so I thought today, Just go, it can be at least top 30. Then I saw the green light, it is crazy.

“I was feeling really nice. It felt like nice easy skiing. Also yesterday I felt like it was nice and easy skiing, but normally it feels slower.

“Today it feels clean. I went as straight as possible, it wasn’t so much rollers and jumps and stuff, I just thought top 20, top 30 is OK for me, but first place, it’s beautiful. It’s something really crazy.” 

He was delighted for his homeland – and also for the group of German athletes he trains with.

“I am really happy for the first win for Czech. And also for the German guys (I train with) because they can beat me on training, and they will see that this is possible. 

“For the whole of our team and our co-operation with the German team, It is a really good push for all of us. For the next races.”

Franzoni makes his mark
Odermatt, who was victorious in the Downhill yesterday, sat in the leader’s chair for a long stretch at Val Gardena.

He produced a magnificent run down the Saslong. His  team radioed up to him before he went to stick hard to his lines and be aggressive – a strategy that had benefited Justin Murisier (SUI/ Head) a few bibs earlier.

He was out the gate like a rocket and found speed at every point, motoring on the flats and keeping his edges on the turns. It was just one minor error from perfection. But then came Zabystran.

“I am very happy with my performance, the light was so flat, I couldn’t see much,” said Odermatt. “We know Val Gardena is different, you have to wait until the last guy.

“Congrats to Jan. But I’m also happy with my performance.”

 Odermatt leads the standings in GS, Super G, Downhill and Overall standings. Tomorrow sees the classic, full length Downhill – will it be more of the same?

“A similar race to today,” predicted Odermatt. “You will have to wait for the higher bibs. You have to ski well. The lower part will be very fast with the icy conditions we have here. The jumps will be very far. You’ll have to stay concentrated.

“If you want to win here tomorrow, you have to fit everything together. Fast on the top, good gliding skills.”

24-year-old Giovanni Franzoni (ITA/ Rossignol), meanwhile, skied very solidly to notch his first senior podium.

“It’s incredible,” he said. “I was always slow last year and the year before, but this summer I improved. The slope, the conditions, today I demonstrated that I can ski fast on these slopes.

“I am feeling good, I am skiing well, I can ski without pressure in my mind. But I think today and yesterday, I have to remember one person, our teammate Matteo [Franzoso, who died in a training crash]. This result has been for him.”

Nils Allegre (FRA/ Salomon) meanwhile continued his solid run of form to finish fourth. Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT/Head), starting the day wearing the Super G red bib, was ninth, while Franjo von Allmen (SUI/Head) crashed dramatically but emerged unscathed.