Milan-Cortina: Wiles sets fastest time in first downhill trial, Goggia 8th and Brignone 12th

Cortina d’Ampezzo (Belluno), 6 February (LaPresse) – Jacqueline Wiles of the United States set the fastest time (1’38″94) in the first timed run of the women’s downhill at the Milan-Cortina Games, which was characterised by a long interruption – lasting more than an hour – due to poor visibility on the Olympia delle Tofane. The American finished ahead of Norway’s Kajsa Vickhoff Lie and Germany’s Kira Weidle-Winkelmann, who both missed a gate. Good signs for the Italian team: Sofia Goggia finished eighth – just ahead of Laura Pirovano – 1.17 seconds behind, giving the impression of not pushing too hard, while Federica Brignone – still waiting to see if she will actually take part in the downhill on Sunday 8 February – finished twelfth, 1.72 seconds behind the leader. Just ahead of her was Lindsey Vonn, back on skis for the first time since tearing her cruciate ligament in Crans Montana. Further back were the other Italian athletes: Nicol Delago was nineteenth, Elena Curtoni twenty-fourth and Nadia Delago twenty-eighth. Tomorrow, weather permitting, the last timed trial before Sunday’s race is scheduled.