Summer Jobs for Italian stars Brignone, Bassino, and Goggia, in Cervinia

View of Matterhorn from the Gran Becca Photo: Cervinia Matterhorn

Freeskiing and fun-filled preparation for the Italian racers, as the debut of the ‘Gran Becca’ Switzerland to Italy downhill looms

Italians traditionally escape the sweltering summer heat of July and August, flocking to their country’s splendid beaches and bustling seaside towns, from Liguria to Calabria, Sardinia and along the Amalfi Coast.

Not necessarily vacation time for members of the Italian Ski Team. 

Italy’s trio of Federica Brignone, Marta Bassino and Sofia Goggia were among numerous Italian Ski Team racers that instead have committed to summertime training on Cervinia’s high-altitude terrain and glacier, all while enjoying breathtaking views of the awe-inspiring Matterhorn.

Brignone – who charged to gold and silver at this past season’s World Championships in Méribel – said it was fabulous to spend three relaxed days of freeskiing last week alongside her brother and coach Davide and ski technician Mauro Sbardellotto.

“It was fun. We were all skiing together in the summer snow,” Brignone tells Ski Racing Media. “It’s the only time of year you can freeski at lower speeds and work on different things. In winter, you’re always just in the gates and the conditions are not always perfect.”

Brignone, 33, who will be the most experienced female racer on tour this upcoming season, said that the recent return to snow was a slow and steady progression towards the team’s training camps in Ushuaia, Argentina, in September.

“My brother put on some old racing boots and that was nice. He showed me lots of exercises, so I could understand better what he wanted to see. And we were exaggerating some sensations at lower speeds just to experiment and have them in the ski bag.”  

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Bassino – who struck super-G gold at the World Championships in France – echoed similar sentiments as Brignone. Unlike her Italian teammate, the 27-year-old from nearby Piedmont took on some gates here and there.

“Skiing during the summer is always strange,” said Bassino, interviewed on the mountain. “You feel a bit lost initially because you must find balance and timing. Then, in two days, everything returns to normal. But the recovery takes longer.”

The six-time World Cup winner, was accompanied by her coach Davide Simoncelli and ski technician, Gianluca Petrulli.

“The snow helped us work better because the conditions are good, especially for late July,” she said.

“The glacier is in excellent condition, so everything is super. The sensations of summertime here are really incredible.”

Freeskiing and mountain biking for Italy’s 2018 Olympic downhill champion

Sofia Goggia has returned to Breuil-Cervinia this week for additional freeskiing, and perhaps reconnaissance, ahead of the new Zermatt to Cervinia downhill races in November. She also took some laps on the sunny Cervinia slopes over the second week of July.

The flamboyant four-time World Cup downhill and 2018 Olympic champion from Bergamo posted a video of her ripping turns on Instagram. It was set to the popular new Italian hit “Pazza Musica” by Marco Mengoni and Elodie.

Goggia wrote succinctly to her 523,000 Instagram followers: “Where am I? Cervinia. First turns of the summer.” Coach Luca Agazzi and ski technician Barnaba Greppi joined her.

The unpredictable Italian speed queen swapped skis for a mountain bike. She adventurously explored the vast and varied terrain of the Cervinia Bike Park, Europe’s highest of its kind, showing the right hand she broke slamming a gate in St. Moritz in December is finally healed.

“Now that the hand can…it’s back to making the right laps. That will take you up to 3,371m,” Goggia informed, referring to the highest altitude of the enormous alpine bike park.

“Crazy places here at Cervino Ski Paradise riding my Merida Italian mountain bike. Tough climb, yes. Pessimism and annoyance, fatigue and out of breath. But even if I didn’t find the strudel at the refuge…“IT WAS WORTH IT.”

Looking forward to the Matterhorn Cervino World Cup opening speed races, not surprisingly, the extroverted Italian downhiller has made it known that she wants to kick off the season with multiple victories on Italian snow.

The “Gran Becca” Beckons

While the Cervinia glacier terrain has been a reliable off-season training destination for Italian skiers before, it took on added significance. The anticipated debut of the Matterhorn Cervino World Cup opening speed races, for both men and women, are scheduled for November. Last year’s initial attempt was canceled due to insufficient snow.

Fortunately, this year appears to be vastly different and more promising. Organizers have stored vast quantities of snow, significantly more than in 2022.

Brignone, who resides in La Salle, in the Aosta Valley, said she can’t wait to race on familiar home terrain. She observed ongoing preparations above the start of the new ‘Gran Becca’ course from her perspective on the glacier.

“I know the slope here in Cervinia, my region, the Aosta Valley,” Brignone says. “I’ve been freeskiing there many times with my family, but I think the slope for the race will be much different. It will be straighter and not wrap all the way around, and there will also be some gliding.

“Going up on the gondola, we also saw the finish line and everything.”

The highest altitude of the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is 3,883 meters, while the Gran Becca race course start is just below the top at 3,800 meters. The countdown continues with under 100 days until the men have honors with consecutive downhills in Zermatt-Cervinia, on November 11-12. The women will follow on November 18-19.

“It will be very emotional and exciting to race in my home region,” Brignone says. “I hope we will find some amazing weather conditions, because in November in Cervinia, it’s pretty high, and you need some good weather for a downhill,” Brignone says.

The cross-border course will take racers from a start elevation of 3,000m in Switzerland, in the shadow of the Matterhorn, across the Swiss-Italian border, and meanders to the finish in Italy at Lake Cime Bianche. The innovative, early-season speed races should prove to be an exhausting, knee-jarring, thrilling stamina test. 

Forza Italia

The summer training session for the Italian threesome – all of whom finished among the top ten in last season’s overall World Cup standings, along with their fourth-ranked teammate Elena Curtoni – appeared to be a productive and enjoyable endeavor

With the team’s upcoming September training camp in Argentina; naturally, the workload and intensity will ramp up quickly, all in preparation for the Sölden World Cup season-opener in late October.

And perhaps, before then, the dedicated Italian racers will even sneak in some beach time and trade ski boots and summer snow for flip-flops, sand and surf.

Follow Brian on Instagram – @brian.pinelli