Alex Vinatzer gets a new coach. © Pentaphoto

New star coach: bombshell in Italy's ski team

The World Cup winter has just ended, and there is already a bombshell in Italy's ski team: Alex Vinatzer & Co. are getting a prominent new coach.

13 April 2025

From: det

It was news that caused a great stir in the skiing world. Olympic champion Petra Vlhova parted ways with her star coach, Mauro Pini, a few days ago. It didn't take long, however, for the Ticino native to find a new job. As announced on Sunday, Pini is moving to the Italian Winter Sports Federation – and will now coach the struggling men's slalom and giant slalom teams.

"After the split with Petra, this opportunity arose, and I was immediately taken with it. Italy and alpine skiing have a great tradition. The technical team has been in some trouble recently, but there is great potential for growth here," Pini told Swiss radio. RSI.

One of the most famous coaches in the world

In Mauro Pini, Italy's ski team has landed a truly top-class talent. The Swiss is one of the most well-known coaches in the World Cup and has coached exceptional athletes such as Tina Maze, Lara Gut-Behrami, and Petra Vlhova during his career. Pini is said to have signed a two-year contract in Italy.

Mauro Pini (right) with Petra Vlhova.

Italy's technical team has recently experienced a turbulent period. In January, slalom director Simone Del Dio threw in the towel midway through the season – partly due to a lack of results. Currently, there are only two world-class athletes: Luca De Aliprandini (who finished third in the Adelboden giant slalom) and Alex Vinatzer (who finished second in the Kitzbühel slalom). Now, with Mauro Pini, things are looking up again.