Italy Falls Short in Men’s Team Alpine Combined
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy – Italy’s hopes for a medal in the men’s team alpine combined event were dashed on February 9, 2026, as the team finished seventh despite a strong downhill run from Giovanni Franzoni. The result came down to a challenging slalom leg from Alex Vinatzer, who struggled to maintain the advantage built by his teammate.
Franzoni had set the pace earlier in the day, delivering a blistering downhill run that put Italy in a commanding position. Still, Vinatzer’s slalom run proved to be the undoing, as he lost valuable time and ultimately relegated the team to a seventh-place finish. This marked a disappointing outcome for Italy, especially after Franzoni’s silver medal in the downhill event.
Switzerland claimed the gold medal with the team of Franjo Von Allmen and Tanguy Nef, posting a combined time of 2:44.04. Von Allmen, who previously won gold in the individual downhill on February 7, was bolstered by a spectacular slalom performance from Nef. Austria 1 (Kriechmayr-Feller) and Switzerland 1 (Odermatt-Meillard) tied for silver, both 99 hundredths of a second behind the Swiss winners. Austria 2 (Haaser-Matt) finished just off the podium in fourth.
Italy’s second team, comprised of Dominik Paris and Tommaso Sala, finished fifth, 1.12 seconds off the pace. Paris delivered a solid downhill run, but neither skier could uncover the speed needed to challenge for a medal. Sala is still working his way back to full form after a serious injury, and his performance reflected that.
The competition wasn’t without its setbacks for Italy, as Florian Schieder and Tobias Kastlunger were forced to withdraw after Schieder crashed during the downhill portion of the event. Italy’s third team, consisting of Casse and Saccardi, finished 14th overall.
Vinatzer’s performance raised concerns, as he has shown a decline in his slalom skills despite progress in giant slalom. Once a promising slalom skier – including a third-place finish at the 2023 World Championships – Vinatzer has struggled to replicate that form recently. He finished the slalom leg in 18th place, 1.89 seconds behind Nef, and third-to-last among the racers. The disappointing result raises questions about his form heading into the individual slalom event at the Games.
