The mighty Sassolungo overlooks the sporting spectacle in the Val Gardena Ski Area where the Super G and downhill take place
The men's Audi FIS Ski World Cup is held twice in the major local ski centres: as the Saslong Classic, with Super G and downhill in the Val Gardena Skiing Area, and as a giant slalom in Alta Badia. These winter sports destinations offer ideal pistes when the world's elite arrives for the big event. The Saslong Classic has been held on the eponymous Saslong for almost 60 years.
The route leads from the Ciampinoi mountain station below the Sassolungo Group down towards Santa Cristina Valgardena. In the days before the event, the athletes train here.
The Super G takes place first, followed by the downhill, where things get even faster. The start of the downhill is almost 250 m higher than that of the Super G and includes the steepest section of the Saslong: the 56.9% gradient of the Spinel, where the athletes have to change direction to the right. When the podium places are then awarded, of course it's time to celebrate. In 2023, the South Tyrolean Dominik Paris won the downhill and the Austrian Vincent Kriechmayr the Super G.
