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Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team Podium Hunting this Weekend in Italy and France

By Megan Harrod
December, 17 2020
Jared Goldberg
Jared Goldberg led the way for the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team in downhill training on the Saslong both days...keep an eye on this crew on Saturday! (Alexis Boichard - Agence Zoom/Getty Images)

There is, quite possibly, no venue on the FIS Ski World Cup circuit quite as aesthetically spectacular as Val Gardena, Italy. It is a downhill track like none other, requiring skill, power, courage, and stamina. The terrain is unlike any other. Nine jumps. 17 larger bumps. Athletes jump up to 262ft and are 20 feet about the ground. Imagine that. The infamous “camel humps.” It’s a doozy. It also happens to be a favorite track for the Americans. Just ask veteran Steven Nyman, who has won three times here. Buckle up, because it’s going to be quite the weekend. 

In the first of two downhill training runs, the Americans went 1-2. Jared Goldberg, followed by big ol’ Bryce Bennett...who, as we know, loves this track. Day 2? Those Attacking Vikings threw down: Aleksander Kilde first, Kjetil Jansrud second. But guess what?! Jared, once again, the fastest American, in fourth. Ryan Cochran-Siegle fifth. Bryce seventh. Sam Morse 19th. Former World Junior Downhill Champ and Middlebury Alpine athlete Erik Arvidsson will be checking out this real-deal track for the first time. He's stoked. "That was SO much fun," he said when he came down after his first training run. Giddy up!

Caught up with three-time Saslong victor (we like to call him, “King of the Saslong,” though he doesn’t agree with that title), Steven Nyman. Here’s what he had to say: “Obviously it’s a bummer, but it is what it is, and I’m trying to help the boys in any way that I can. My words of advice to them are: ‘You gotta nail that first big right-footer...give yourself space, don’t try to gain anything there. It’s just about cleanliness and carrying your speed through that flat. When it comes to terrain, you need to be confident...like know it like the backside of your hand and just go over every blind roll, and know where you’re going without hesitation because that’s going to set you apart from 95% of the guys. Everybody is going to hesitate, and as Americans, we have an advantage, growing up, playing in terrain parks, and understanding terrain better than the Europeans. Fight, fight, fight for aerodynamics wherever you can.’”

Again, he reiterated that he’s “not the ‘King of the Saslong.’” “It’s Kristian Ghedina [from Italy, with four victories on the Saslong]...or, actually, it’s Leo Mussi [Steven’s and Kristian’s technician, who has won seven times on the Saslong], then Kristian, then me,” he added with a laugh. To put it simply, the Americans love this track and you’re not going to want to miss the action this weekend. First up: super-G Friday, followed by downhill day on Saturday. Sunshine all ‘round'. In super-G, watch Travis Ganong, who was fourth last weekend in Val d'Isere, France to match his career-best in the discipline. He's en fuego at the moment, and his super-G set-up is dialed! 

Speaking of sunshine, the women brought the heat in both downhill training runs over in Val d’Isere, France, with Alice McKennis Duran first, Breezy Johnson second, Jackie Wiles 11th, and Keely Cashman 28th on day one! Day two: more of the same. Breezy in first, with a commanding .63 second lead. Jackie Wiles ninth. Alice McKennis Duran 11th. Keely Cashman 30th. The women’s speed crew is healthy, confident, and back with a vengeance. Watch out, world. Of course, Breezy was quick to call it “Fool’s Gold,” and added that she hopes she didn’t “peak too soon.” With two downhills and a super-G at Val d’Isere, there’s bound to be some big-time results in France. Oui Oui!

Follow all of the action on Peacock TV, NBCSN, and the Olympic Channel...because we’ve got a stacked pre-holiday week of alpine action for y’all.

RESULTS
Men’s downhill training 1
Women’s downhill training 1
Men’s downhill training 2
Women’s downhill training 2 

START LISTS
Men’s super-G
Women’s downhill 

HOW TO WATCH
All Times EST

Friday, Dec. 18
4:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Downhill - LIVE, Val d'Isere, FRA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
4:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Downhill - LIVE, Val d'Isere, FRA, Streaming Peacock
5:45 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Super-G - LIVE, Gardena, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
5:45 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Super-G - LIVE, Val Gardena, ITA, Streaming Peacock

Saturday, Dec. 19
4:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Downhill - LIVE, Val d'Isere, FRA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
4:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Downhill - LIVE, Val d'Isere, FRA, Streaming Peacock
5:45 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Downhill - LIVE, Val Gardena, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
5:45 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Downhill - LIVE, Val Gardena, ITA, Streaming Peacock
5:00 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Downhill - Same Day Delayed Broadcast, Val d'Isere, FRA, Broadcast NBC
9:30 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Downhill - Same Day Delayed Broadcast, Val d'Isere, FRA, Broadcast NBCSN
10:30 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Downhill - Same Day Broadcast, Val Gardena, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Sunday, Dec. 20
4:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Giant Slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Alta Badia, ITA, Streaming Peacock
5:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Super-G - LIVE, Val d'Isere, FRA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
5:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Super-G - LIVE, Val d'Isere, FRA, Streaming Peacock
7:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Giant Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Alta Badia, ITA, Streaming Peacock
7:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Giant Slalom - LIVE, Alta Badia, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel
9:30 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Women's Super-G - Same Day Delayed Broadcast, Val d'Isere, FRA, Broadcast NBCSN
11:00 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Giant Slalom - Same Day Broadcast, Alta Badia, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Monday, Dec. 21
4:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Alta Badia, ITA, Streaming Peacock
7:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Alta Badia, ITA, Streaming Peacock
7:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom - LIVE, Alta Badia, ITA, Broadcast NBCSN

Tuesday, Dec. 22
11:34 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom, run 1 - LIVE, Madonna di Campiglio, ITA, Streaming Peacock
2:30 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom, run 2 - LIVE, Madonna di Campiglio, ITA, Streaming Peacock
2:30 p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Men's Slalom - LIVE, Madonna di Campiglio, ITA, Broadcast Olympic Channel