Turn after turn, the ski stars try to outdo each other on the Gran Risa piste in the world-famous Alta Badia Ski Area
At the end of the year, ski fans can mark two dates in their calendars: the Saslong Classic - the men's downhill race and super-G - in the Val Gardena valley and the men's giant slalom in Alta Badia. Both are part of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup. The Gran Risa piste starts at 1,865 metres in the dreamlike landscape of the Dolomites and takes the athletes to the finish 400 metres further down. It is one of the most beautiful and challenging pistes in the Ski World Cup - after this date, skiers and snowboarders can once again be found in the Alta Badia Skiing Area.
The maximum gradient of 69% demands everything, even from professional skiers: As the Gran Risa mostly runs through the forest and on the north face, it is shady and therefore often icy. A steep, narrow channel still has to be overcome before the athletes reach the finish.
Ingemar Stenmark, Mark Girardelli, Bode Miller and Marcel Hirscher have already skied here, in 2023 the Swiss Marco Odermatt won. You can take a look yourself in summer and winter: The Piz La Ila Cable Car takes you up there from La Villa (Stern), a component locality of Badia.
