Nicol Delago did not wait long to make her mark in the women’s downhill at the  FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Tarvisio, Italy, on Saturday (17 January).

Wearing bib number three, the Italian charged out of the start gate, cut through thick morning fog, and delivered the fastest run of the day, stopping the clock at 1:46.28, which was enough to claim her first World Cup victory and the best Italian result on this course. At the bottom of the slope, Delago raised her arms in celebration, aware she had laid down something special, even if only a handful of racers had gone before her.

Behind her, Germany’s Kira Weidle-Winkelmann came closest, finishing second in 1:46.48 (+0.20), after navigating conditions she described as significantly wetter than the training runs earlier in the week. 

41-year-old Lindsey Vonn, who looks at home on this mountain after winning here twice before, completed the podium in 1:46.54. (+0.26) It marked a fifth consecutive downhill podium for the Team USA athlete and pushed her World Cup discipline standing lead to 144 points, increasing the likelihood that the American legend will continue her season beyond the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 next month, with four downhill World Cup races remaining this season.

Delago regularly trains on this slope with the Italian team, and skied with a familiarity that showed in every turn. In heavy, humid conditions, she attacked with a controlled aggression that separated her from the rest of the field. Fog swallowed sections of the course midway down, but Delago never lost sight. She settled into the leader’s chair and remained there, run after run, until the final skier crossed the line.

“I was so nervous this morning,” she admitted to Eurosport afterwards. “I really like this course. The long turns, the high speed, that’s something I enjoy. I didn’t think it was a perfect run, especially in the middle, but I just tried to ski fast and enjoy it.”

Nicol’s sister Nadia Delago, the Beijing 2022 downhill bronze medallist, attacked the course with the same fearless confidence as her sister and finished tenth, making it a memorable day for the Delago name. 

“The past years weren’t so easy for us, for me and for my sister,” Nicol added. “These days, we just want to enjoy it.”

A super-G race is due to take place on Sunday at the same venue.