In an unprecedented turn of events at Val Gardena, Italy, Jan Zabystran of the Czech Republic clinched his first World Cup victory in the super-G race, stunning the field by outpacing Swiss favorite Marco Odermatt. With a history-making win, Zabystran broke the streak of Czech men never winning a World Cup race in the circuit’s 60 seasons.
Zabystran, starting with bib No. 29, seized the advantage of better lighting conditions to finish 0.22 seconds ahead of Odermatt, who had been a strong contender following his previous downhill triumph. Embracing the unexpected victory, Zabystran expressed his joy at seeing the green light and described the day as “beautiful” and “crazy.”
The Val Gardena course, known for its unique characteristics, often sees surprises due to its late sunshine illuminating the track, favoring late starters like Zabystran. Demonstrating his skill, Zabystran posted the fastest split times both at the top and bottom sections of the course, proving his win was not merely luck-based.
Giovanni Franzoni secured third place with a career-best finish, trailing Zabystran and Odermatt by 0.37 seconds. Notable performances also came from lower-ranked skiers like Matthieu Bailet and Christof Innerhofer, who claimed fifth and sixth places, respectively.
Brodie Seger emerged as the top Canadian finisher, landing in the 14th position. Zabystran’s victory, while remarkable, was not the highest bib number to triumph at Val Gardena, with American skier Steven Nyman winning in 2012 wearing bib No. 39.
Odermatt, maintaining his exceptional form, continued to dominate the World Cup overall standings, aiming for a fifth consecutive title. Additionally, he now leads the season-long super-G standings after three races, solidifying his status as a top contender in the circuit.