Franzoni Stuns Odermatt, Austria Endures Historic Defeat at Hahnenkamm Downhill
Austria’s dominance on the legendary Streif in Kitzbühel came to a crashing halt Saturday as Italian skier Giovanni Franzoni claimed victory in the Hahnenkamm downhill, leaving the host nation without a single athlete in the top ten. This marks a historic low for the Austrian team, extending a concerning winless streak in downhill events.
Franzoni completed the course in 1:52.31, narrowly edging out World Cup leader Marco Odermatt of Switzerland by just seven hundredths of a second. France’s Maxence Muzaton finished third, trailing by 0.39 seconds. The result breaks a Swiss stranglehold on the downhill circuit, ending a four-race winning streak for Odermatt.
“Incredible. I don’t even know what to say,” Franzoni reportedly stated, dedicating the win to a late teammate, Matteo Franzoso. The Italian also secured a substantial prize of 101,000 euros for his performance.
For Austria, the day was one of profound disappointment. Vincent Kriechmayr, the top Austrian finisher, landed in 12th place, a full 1.48 seconds behind Franzoni. This result represents the first time in history that no Austrian skier has cracked the top ten at the prestigious Hahnenkamm downhill.
The defeat is particularly stinging given Austria’s long and storied tradition in the sport. Kriechmayr’s last downhill victory dates back to March 2023 in Soldeu, a drought of 1,046 days. Reflecting on his performance, Kriechmayr admitted to approaching the course “too tactically,” expressing regret over his approach on ORF. He has already announced he will skip the upcoming descent in Crans Montana to refocus ahead of the Olympics in Bormio.
Other Austrian skiers also struggled to make an impact. Raphael Haaser and Stefan Babinsky both missed the top 15, despite strong showings in the Super-G the previous day. Daniel Hemetsberger narrowly avoided a fall after losing his line in the “Lark shot” section of the course.
The race unfolded before a crowd of approximately 50,000 spectators, including high-profile figures like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and skiing legend Ingemar Stenmark. The course itself had undergone modifications prior to the competition, with adjustments made to the jump into the old lane and a slight reduction in radius, prompted by concerns raised by Swiss athlete spokesman Alexis Monney regarding jump distances.
Despite the changes, Fritz Strobl’s longstanding course record of 1:51.58 minutes, set in 1997, remained unbroken. Odermatt, visibly frustrated after his near miss, remained in the finish area with his head bowed for an extended period. “Today there was only victory for me. Anything else, I knew in advance, would be a disappointment,” he stated. His compatriot, Franjo von Allmen, also faltered during the traverse, ultimately missing out on a top-ten finish.
