The slalom in Alta Badia kicked up a lot of dust. © ANSA / ANDREA SOLERO

Neureuther's harsh criticism: Controversy surrounding the Alta Badia slalom

The South Tyrol World Cup week is over – and was once again a major highlight. But now former ski superstar Felix Neureuther is causing a stir with his harsh criticism of the Alta Badia slalom. The organizers are defending themselves.

23 December 2025

Diary from La Villa/Stern

I was quite surprised when, on Sunday evening before my departure for Alta Badia, I scrolled through the news feed on my smartphone and came across an article by the Swiss View The headline, emblazoned in large letters, draws attention to itself. "The most controversial slalom of the season," it reads. The article refers to Monday's race in Alta Badia, which "sparked heated discussions even before the start." This is primarily due to ski legend Felix Neureuther, who, with his characteristically sharp tongue – and as always, without mincing words – railed against the slalom course on the Gran Risa.

What bothers the 13-time World Cup winner so much? "It starts with the fact that while this slope is perfectly suited for a giant slalom, the terrain is completely unsuitable for an attractive slalom," says Neureuther. The day of the race – a Monday morning or early afternoon – also doesn't sit well with the German. "I can't imagine this slalom will generate good TV ratings on a Monday." And finally, he makes a strong demand: "This completely unsuitable slalom should be canceled without replacement."

Former ski star Felix Neureuther. © APA / HELMUT FOHRINGER

That's some serious stuff, which of course has also found its way onto the organizers' smartphones. So in Alta Badia, I ask Andy Varallo, the head of the Gran Risa races organizing committee. "Yes, I've read the article too," says the 45-year-old. He then explains: "Until recently, we held giant slalom races on both Sunday and Monday. However, the FIS prohibited this two years ago, so we added slalom to the program. It's a project that needs to be perfected over the years. This year, for example, we added a slight artificial bump after the last turn, which was well received by the athletes."

"There's a very good chance that there will be a night race next year." Andy Varallo

Varallo also addressed the start times criticized by Neureuther, namely 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on a normal weekday. "We are working on a solution for this as well. There's a very good chance that next year's slalom will be held as a night race on Monday, just like the parallel races used to be," explained Varallo, adding: "I think it's good that there are enough slalom races taking place in December as well."

What do the athletes say?

And what do the athletes themselves say about it? "I think you need a bit of everything in the World Cup," says Alex Vinatzer. "This certainly isn't the most difficult slalom course, but it's difficult to be fast. You can see that in the close time gaps, which increases the excitement of the race."

Alex Vinatzer during his Alta Badia performance. © ANSA / ANDREA SOLERO

Vinatzer's teammate Tobias Kastlunger echoes this sentiment. "You can definitely tell that this isn't a slalom slope like in Kitzbühel or Wengen. For me, however, it's a welcome change, because two giant slalom races on two consecutive days on this challenging course would be too much. In any case, I always enjoy skiing here."

Those spectators who were there in person on Monday or followed the action on TV certainly didn't regret it. The Gran Risa slalom was a nail-biting thriller, decided by hundredths of a second, and incredibly exciting right up to the very last second. And ultimately, that's precisely what makes this sport so fascinating.