(PRIMASPORT) SÖLDEN – The World Cup season restarts in Sölden: on Saturday, October 24, the now traditional season opener will once again be on the Rettenbach glacier in Austria, with a giant slalom featuring the first run at 10:00 a.m., followed by the second leg three hours later, broadcast live on RaiSport and Eurosport. With Federica Brignone and Sofia Goggia currently recovering, eleven Italian athletes are still ready to compete: Italy will be fully represented, with Marta Bassino returning to the track after missing the entire previous competitive season. In addition to the Cuneo native, the following athletes are expected: Lara Della Mea, last season's Downhill World Cup winner Laura Pirovano, Asja Zenere, Ilaria Ghisalberti, Giorgia Collomb, absolute rookie Tatum Bieler, Emilia Mondinelli, Junior World Champion Anna Trocker, Anna Pazzaglia, and Sophie Mathiou, both of whom have secured full-season spots thanks to their European Cup finishes last year. The Italian athletes are competing on the eve of their season opener in Sölden.
Marta Bassino: "It's been a different summer than usual. I feel good, even though I've had a few minor upsets these past few days in Val Senales because I injured myself here. Between recovering from the injury and having the plaque removed, we've worked differently. There's been great progress both athletically and technically. On the slopes, I've even managed to put some good pieces back together in terms of my skiing. Last year, I injured myself right after changing gear, so it's like I'm starting a new journey now, injury aside. Twelve years ago, I competed for the first time in Soelden, and on the Rettenbach in 2016, where I scored my first World Cup podium (she won in 2020, ed.). This is the first time in many years that we're here without Brignone and Goggia. We're expecting them as soon as possible, but it's also great to see the new generations and so many young people taking to the slopes. I'll approach this race with a completely different attitude; I only decided to compete recently. It will be nice just to breathe the race air and put on the bib, I don't have any particular goals.".
Laura Pirovano: "I'm tackling the first giant slalom events of the season using bib number 31, and then we'll see how it goes. I'm happy I've trained hard in giant slalom: I was born into this discipline and would have been sad to give it up entirely, but I remain convinced it's very useful for the other disciplines as well. I'm happy with the preparation we've done: in November there will be plenty of time to work on speed.".
Lara Della Mea: "My back hindered me for a few months after the season. Luckily, I'm fine now; we've resolved the issues thanks to the entire team that supported me. I feel great now, and I think that's the most important thing. My fourth place in the giant slalom at Milan Cortina 2026 is a wonderful memory: now I'm looking forward to the future, and I have to continue on that path. I've worked hard and we're continuing to do so: I'm confident that even greater successes will come.".
Asja Zenere: "I've been working hard on speed over the summer. I feel good, I have a good base, and I've made the most of it these past few days. I know what I can do, and I have to try to give it my all on this slope.".
Anna Trocker: "I'm very happy to be competing in Sölden. I'd like to focus on my skiing, give it my all like I've done in the past few months, and have fun. I immediately felt at ease with the group; we're all quite young, and that made my transition into the team easier.".
Ilaria Ghisalberti: "There have been several changes for me, new coaches, and new methodologies: new things are always good, and I've noticed growth in many areas—mental, physical, and technical. Mentally, it's also helped me to get a little faster.".
Alice Pazzaglia: "We've been working on giant slalom and slalom at the same pace to be ready for Levi in a few weeks. We trained for two days last week on the race slope: I like slopes with sharp changes in elevation, and it was a blessing to get familiar with the course.".
Sophie Mathiou: "Compared to the past, I have a new experience: last season gave me great confidence, and getting a permanent spot is a great achievement. I know I can focus on the entire season, and I can do so with a different maturity and calm than when I won the Junior Slalom World Championships in 2021.
Giorgia Collomb: "It's been a different summer for me after last season's back problems. I started with my body to resolve the issues and then try to improve: the new preparation has paid off, and my back is working well.".
Tatum Bieler: “It's definitely very exciting to face this first race. I've been thinking about it for a long time, and I can't help but try to give it my all. I'm super happy to be here.”.
Emilia Mondinelli: "I'm thrilled to have combined giant slalom with slalom. I've worked hard to improve my giant slalom skills, too. From this race on, I want to get back to skiing as well as I did in Argentina, with the goal of trying to qualify.".
Gianluca Rulfi, technical director: "It's normal for there to be a turnover after the Olympic Games: the young athletes will need time, but they have plenty of quality. I'm aiming for a strong team performance so the girls can push each other. The race course is certainly not trivial and must be interpreted.".
Luca Agazzi, head coach: "The level is there; the girls are here because they deserve it. We've established a shared approach, with the goal of growing as a team and finding the best connection. We've seen some good things in training. Sölden is a unique race, but I'm confident that the results, given the progression of our work, will come. We've been doing more giant slalom lately, but we've also tried to continue slalom. Having two disciplines to focus on is also a good thing from a mental standpoint.". (PRIMASPORT)
