Overview
- Giovanni Franzoni finished third for his first career World Cup podium on the Saslong, then pointed to the sky in a tribute to Matteo Franzoso, who died in a September training crash in Chile.
- Czech skier Jan Zabystran won with bib 29 ahead of Switzerland’s Marco Odermatt after late-start conditions turned faster and brighter, a known Val Gardena dynamic.
- Franzoni said the result felt like a dream after difficult months and injury setbacks, noting his confidence is rising and recounting praise from Alberto Tomba.
- Italy posted further strong results with 41‑year‑old Christof Innerhofer in sixth and Mattia Casse 11th, while Dominik Paris slipped down the order after Thursday’s podium.
- Niccolò Molteni did not start following a knee ligament injury, with Val Gardena’s program continuing Saturday with the full downhill as the Milano‑Cortina 2026 build‑up accelerates.