Nicol Delago’s Tarvisio downhill victory and Lindsey Vonn’s fifth podium in five downhills boost Italy’s momentum ahead of Milan-Cortina 2026. Betting takeaway: back Delago or other Italians on home snow and consider Vonn for podium/each-way bets in the Olympic downhill, as top technical skiers are absent from speed events.
Nicol Delago Upsets Tarvisio Downhill, Italy Peaks Before Milan-Cortina 2026
Nicol Delago claimed her first World Cup victory in a Tarvisio downhill, finishing 0.20 seconds clear of Germany’s Kira Weidle-Winkelmann and 0.26 ahead of veteran Lindsey Vonn. The result marks a breakthrough after Delago’s string of podiums and comes with the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics Games less than three weeks away.
Race Summary and Key Moments
The downhill, contested for the first time in Tarvisio in 15 years, featured fog midcourse that limited visibility. Delago nearly lost control when her skis split in the foggy section but recovered to add time at each split and held the lead to the finish, celebrating with a big smile and a kiss to her ski. Vonn registered the highest speeds at the checks—136.3 kph (84.7 mph)—but veered into fresh snow midway, costing her precious tenths.
Vonn’s Form and Experience on Home-Soil Courses
At 41, Lindsey Vonn extended an impressive run with her fifth podium in five downhills this season, moving up to third in the overall standings with 510 points. Her previous Tarvisio history includes two wins and four runner-up finishes across six visits, and she praised the electric atmosphere and fan support around the course.
Standings and Season Context
Delago’s win shakes up momentum ahead of the Olympics. In the downhill standings, Vonn increased her lead to 144 points over Emma Aicher. Four World Cup downhills remain this season. In the overall World Cup race, Vonn sits behind Mikaela Shiffrin (923 points) and Camille Rast (753), neither of whom are currently contesting downhill events.
Olympic Schedule and Next Races
The Milan-Cortina Winter Games open on Feb. 6, with the women’s downhill scheduled for Feb. 8 in Cortina d’Ampezzo and the men’s speed events in Bormio. A Tarvisio super-G is next on the calendar for Sunday, offering another chance for speed specialists to tune up before the Olympics.
Betting Implications and What Punters Should Watch
Delago’s win on home snow suggests Italians can be strong value in speed events at venues with local familiarity. Vonn’s consistency makes her a reliable each-way or podium pick in downhill races and potentially at the Olympics. With top technical stars not contesting every speed event, expect narrower favorites in headline markets—look for value in home contenders, in-form speed specialists, and each-way bets where veteran consistency matters.
Factors That Will Move Markets
Course familiarity, weather and visibility (fog played a decisive role in Tarvisio), and current form will be decisive. Monitor start lists for which specialists enter remaining World Cup downhills and the Olympic downhill; absence of top slalom/super-G names from speed calendars will shift betting odds toward pure speed racers and local contenders.
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Nicol Delago is in position to claim her first World Cup victory in a downhill with 41-year-old Lindsey Vonn in third place for her fifth podium in five downhills this season. Delago was looking to match Italian teammate Giovanni Franzoni after he claimed his first victory in a super-G on Friday. The Milan Cortina Winter Games open on Feb. 6 with the women racing in Cortina d’Ampezzo and the men in Bormio. Delago finished 0.20 seconds ahead of Kira Weidle-Winkelmann of Germany and 0.26 ahead of Vonn. Lower-ranked skiers were still coming down the course.
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