This weekend, the men will be back in Crans Montana for the first time since 2012. A downhill and a super-G are on the program in the 2027 World Championship venue. The slope is the main talking point.
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- After Saalbach is before Crans-Montana. This weekend, the speed skiers will be racing a downhill and a super-G in Valais.
- The last time men's races took place in Crans-Montana was in 2012 - two super-Gs and a giant slalom. There hasn't even been a downhill since 1998.
- Marco Odermatt is not really looking forward to the "Bella Lui" slope.
After the World Championships in Saalbach, the men will continue straight away in Crans Montana. While three women's races were held last winter, a men's downhill (Saturday at 10 a.m.) and a super-G (Sunday at 10.30 a.m.) will take place on the Valais high plateau.
After St. Moritz, Adelboden and Wengen, Crans Montana is the fourth Swiss stop in the Alpine World Cup. The downhill skiers last raced in Crans-Montana in 1998, when Didier Cuche finished second to prevent an Austrian multiple victory.
Since then, the wind has changed and the Swiss are now setting the tone in the ski circus. However, the anticipation of some of the local cracks on the "Bella Lui" slope (beautiful light in the old Valais dialect) is limited.
Odermatt and von Allmen are less than enthusiastic
Marco Odermatt in particular is not very enthusiastic, as reported by "CH Media": "If I could design a descent according to my wishes, it would certainly look different." The 27-year-old is particularly bothered by the fact that the course offers no challenge: "It's the easiest downhill run I've ever skied."
The World Championships will take place in Crans Montana in 2027. Odermatt predicts that it will be difficult to make any major changes to the level of difficulty: "You can certainly add the odd wave or do something to the course. But you can't turn a flatter section into a steep slope ..."
Downhill world champion Franjo von Allmen has a similar view to Odermatt: "The course here in Crans-Montana is easy to ski, but it's difficult to be fast." According to the 23-year-old, the details have to be right.
Find out how the two exceptional skiers perform on this unfamiliar course in the live ticker on blue Sport.
