Italian alpine skier Giovanni Franzoni has dramatically ascended from relative obscurity to become one of the most compelling stories heading into the Milan Cortina Winter Games. The 24-year-old athlete recently captured skiing’s most prestigious prize—the downhill victory on the legendary Streif course in Kitzbühel, Austria—an achievement often described as the sport’s equivalent of winning the Super Bowl.
Franzoni’s breakthrough performance in Kitzbühel came just one week after securing his maiden World Cup victory in Wengen, Switzerland. This remarkable surge follows his first-ever World Cup podium finish—a third-place result in super-G at Val Gardena last month. The rapid ascent has forced the young skier to adapt quickly to his newfound celebrity status and the accompanying pressures of elite competition.
‘I didn’t anticipate finding myself in this position,’ Franzoni confessed. ‘While I always believed in my capabilities, there exists a significant gap between conviction and execution. Currently, I’m learning to manage all aspects—media scrutiny, physical demands, and psychological preparation. My primary objective for the Olympics is simply to relish the experience. I’m confident in my abilities and see no reason to burden myself with excessive expectations.’
Beyond personal ambition, Franzoni competes with profound emotional motivation. He dedicates his performances to former roommate and teammate Matteo Franzoso, who tragically died during preseason training in Chile last September. The incident sparked widespread debate about safety protocols within alpine skiing. Standing atop the Kitzbühel podium, Franzoni looked skyward and dedicated his victory to his departed friend, with whom he had shared accommodations during his inaugural Hahnenkamm event just one year prior.
‘I made a commitment to someone in paradise,’ Franzoni revealed. ‘The emotional complexity of this moment defies easy description.’
Franzoni’s stunning victory in Kitzbühel came at the expense of overall World Cup leader Marco Odermatt, reducing the Swiss star to tears after yet another failed attempt to conquer the legendary course. Demonstrating remarkable sportsmanship, Franzoni expressed empathy for his rival: ‘I felt almost disturbed witnessing his reaction. I comprehend how desperately he desired this victory and how long he’s pursued it. However, given his extensive record of successes, this setback hardly constitutes a tragedy.’
Unlike many elite skiers who grow up in mountain communities, Franzoni hails from Manerba del Garda on the shores of Lake Garda near Brescia. He and his twin brother Alessandro initially learned skiing at nearby resorts Ponte di Legno and Madonna di Campiglio. While Alessandro transitioned to becoming a ski instructor, Giovanni demonstrated exceptional promise by capturing five medals (three gold, one silver, one bronze) at the 2021 and 2022 World Junior Championships.
His progression encountered a significant obstacle when a super-G crash in Wengen during 2023 required thigh surgery and ended his season. Now fully recovered, Franzoni has rapidly closed the gap on contemporaries like Swiss downhiller Franjo von Allmen, whom he defeated for downhill gold at the 2022 Junior World Championships in Panorama, British Columbia.
The upcoming Olympics hold special significance for Franzoni, as men’s skiing events will occur in Bormio—located within his home region of Lombardy, just three hours from his hometown. Though his previous best World Cup result in Bormio stands at 17th, his current form suggests potential for a historic outcome. A victory in the Olympic downhill on February 7 would make him the first Italian man to claim this honor since Zeno Colò’s triumph 74 years ago at the 1952 Oslo Games.
Furthermore, Franzoni could join an exclusive group of just four skiers who have won both the Kitzbühel and Olympic downhills in the same year, following legends Toni Sailer (1956), Franz Klammer (1976), and Beat Feuz (2022).
In an intriguing historical footnote, Franzoni once finished 12th—four seconds behind champion Jannik Sinner—in a 2009 junior giant slalom race. Sinner, now an internationally renowned tennis star, recently reconnected with Franzoni via Instagram, offering congratulations and encouragement while exchanging contact information. ‘That he took the initiative to write me suggests I must have accomplished something significant,’ Franzoni noted with appreciation.
As both athletes now excel in their respective sports, Franzoni’s journey from junior competitor to Olympic contender represents one of the most captivating narratives entering the Milan Cortina Winter Games.
