Sofia Goggia was torn after the race. © APA/afp / KERSTIN JOENSSON

“My heart is crying”: Sofia Goggia is torn

Italy's women's ski team put on a great show in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. But Sofia Goggia was torn after the race.

25 January 2025

From: det

The Kandahar piste in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is 2810 metres long, and each athlete spends more than one and a half minutes on the skis. And then at the end a single hundredth of a second was the deciding factor for victory: Federica Brignone won the downhill with the smallest of all margins against her compatriot and teammate Sofia Goggia.

While Brignone was overjoyed after her 32nd World Cup victory, Sofia Goggia experienced a real rollercoaster of emotions. This was not necessarily only related to the sporting aspect. When she was interviewed by Rai her thoughts were first and foremost with Nina Ortlieb. The Austrian, who has a bad history of injuries, is fell and broke his lower leg. She is now awaiting the 23rd operation of her career.

"She was more abused by the ski slopes than I was." Sofia Goggia

"I'm so sorry," said Goggia. "Nina has had so much bad luck in her career. She has been even more abused by the ski slopes than I have. Only a year ago she broke her tibia and fibula, and now this. My heart cries when I see this," said the emotional words of Goggia, who has had to overcome many injuries herself.

With a dislocated shoulder in second place

Speaking of injuries: Not everything went according to plan for Goggia in the Garmisch downhill either. "Before the second to last intermediate time, I dislocated my shoulder," says the Bergamaskin, adding: "I knew that I had a small problem with my shoulder. But I have no idea how I could have dislocated it during the race. Then at the finish, it was suddenly back in place. It's a shame, because I couldn't get into the ideal position in the final meters."

The women's podium, from left Sofia Goggia, Federica Brignone and Corinne Suter. © APA/afp / KERSTIN JOENSSON

Nevertheless, Goggia says: "It was important that I was able to somehow finish my race." In the end, she finished second, behind teammate Federica Brignone. The 2 Olympic downhill champion says of the rivalry with the Aostan woman: "For me, it's an incentive to keep going and to do more and more. Federica drove brilliantly today." The duel between the giants could enter a new round as early as Saturday at 2018 a.m., when the women's Super-G will take place in Garmisch.