It could have been another glory night for Norway in Madonna di Campiglio, and it nearly was. But not this time. The Swiss flag waved in the sky of the 69th edition of 3Tre, and one familiar name resounded in the air. The Madonna di Campiglio’s classic welcomes another 3-time winner, Daniel Yule, who on Thursday December 22nd managed to move on the same level as two other three-time winners, Alberto Tomba and Henrik Kristoffersen, sitting behind only Ingemar Stenmark (5) in the historical winners’ standings. Not only Yule has developed a unique feeling with the Canalone Miramonti, but also a remarkable consistency: after 2018 and 2020, the Swiss delivered again at two-year distance.
“I just love it here in Madonna, the slope is amazing, I just like this Italian snow for some reason, and I managed to really ski fast on this hill,” Daniel Yule said. “I am already looking forward to coming back next year. I think the second run was really good. I was standing in the start gate when I heard the speaker say ‘that’s for sure a podium for Henrik Kristoffersen’, and I just thought to myself ‘well, we will see about that!’ If you go down, go down in flames: I pushed all the way and I managed to bring home my few hundredths of a second to the finish area.”
Once again, Campiglio has written a page of history. The thunderous second run of Yule turned the tables, relegating rising star Lucas Braathen to the fourth place after having set the fastest time in the first run. Already twice a winner this year in the World Cup (in Val d'Isere in slalom and in Alta Badia in giant slalom), the twenty-two-year-old Norwegian had toyed with the idea of bringing home his country's fifth victory in Campiglio in the last eight editions, to be added to those of Kristoffersen (3) and Foss-Solevaag (1).
With German Linus Strasser rounding out the podium, this edition of the 3Tre recorded a striking public success with 12,000 spectators who enjoyed the show. Their hope to celebrate a home success, though, was frustrated once again: coming off an injury in Alta Badia, Alex Vinatzer straddled in the first run. Tommaso Sala was the fastest among the Italian even though they remained with cries in their throats for the subdued performance of the Azzurri. Back from injury, Alex Vinatzer rode in the first moto. Tommaso Sala was the best of the Italians, 13th after having suffered a back compression in the first run, with Giuliano Razzoli in 18th.
The World Cup slalom has finally been able to bring back the big public to the Canalone Miramonti, whose status as temple of slalom has been confirmed in this 69th edition despite the unstable temperatures of the recent days, that required extra work and attention by the technical team to guarantee a snow surface worthy of this remarkable show.
