Gut-Behrami vomits and takes third down

After four World Cup victories, Lara Gut-Bahrami was forced to concede defeat to two Italians in the second downhill round in Crans-Montana. Despite the nausea, she has reason to celebrate.

Lara Gut-Behrami was defeated again after four straight World Cup victories. The Ticino woman finished third in the second downhill round in Crans-Montana due to ill health, with only Italians Marta Passino and Federica Brignone ahead of her.

With his thirteenth podium finish in the twenty-first race, Gut Behrami leads the downhill standings from the injured Sofia Goggia. With two races remaining, she is 19 points ahead of the Italian and 68 points ahead of third-placed Stephanie Fenner. The Austrian did not exceed seventeenth place on the high plateau of Valais.

Gut Bahrami not only leads the world rankings in three disciplines, but also leads the World Cup rankings. The 32-year-old, who has already achieved four consecutive victories in three different disciplines and climbed to the top of the downhill podium again on Friday after more than two years, leads by 165 points over Mikaela Shiffrin, who was also injured.

Pacino won by more than half a second. Gut-Behrami has already lost more than a second to the giant slalom specialist, who has so far shown her speed qualities, especially in Super-G. Bosnian Elvidina Muzaffria, starting number 28, surprised everyone in fourth place.

Lara Gut-Bahrami smiles when asked about her health after the second descent in Crans-Montana. “It was difficult today. “I had to vomit shortly before the start, and I am very tired,” she said in an interview with SRF. She says she is now feeling better again, before going to the awards ceremony.

This time, things did not go as planned for the other Swiss women. Yasmine Fleury, who was second behind Jot Behrami and Cornelia Hütter the day before, also missed the top 15 in 19th after an erratic drive. She actually felt better than she did on Friday, but she wasn't able to drive and was very poorly. Farther into the right turn the world champion decided she had deviated from the perfect line.

Stephanie Genal (24), Noemie Colley (25) and Delia Durer (29) succeeded in contrasting Michelle Gisin (40), who was still driving cautiously, as well as Prisca Nover (38) and Jasmina Sutter (39). At least in points.

Passino's seventh World Cup win is a surprise because the 27-year-old is yet to make a podium finish this season and has only finished in the top three in downhill once before, when she finished second in Bansko in 2020. There has already been an Italian win Double at Crans Montana last year by Sofia Goggia and Brignone.

(Saw/SDA)