Faith is without borders: "A crazy victory"

One day we will understand why, but this is not the day. Today we celebrate, or rather the queen celebrates Federico Brignone, and who cares if fate has played a trick on her that she obviously accepts with a smile, with two World Cups more on the shelves at home which can become even four in the space of a few days, because those of superg e Giant are ready to be added, the first one already today. Federica was already the only woman to have lifted a trophy, the general cup, which in the history of the Italian team has only been won by Thoeni, Gros and Tomba. She obviously also becomes the first to do the double in the general, winning yesterday also the downhill, and if she hadn't already pitched her tent there some time ago, one would be tempted to say that by now she has crossed the border into legend.

The regret is only theoretical: she could have celebrated in front of her people in Val d'Aosta a few days ago, and instead Federica had to go all the way to Idaho to win without even competing, at the end of a day of torture and postponements due to snow and wind which at 21pm Italian time forced the organisers of the finals to Sun Valley to surrender and cancel the two descents, men's and women's. Unleashing the blue party, even if announced.

For those who dare to say that there is no point in winning without competing, it would be appropriate to remember that the 'income' that yesterday allowed Federica to obtain the result without going on the track is the result of incredible results, made even more outlandish by her age. The first Italian to win in all specialties except the slalom, having reached the top step of the podium in downhill at 34 years of age, Federica would have needed only 18 points yesterday to be certain of the Cup, provided that her rival Lara Gut-Behrami had always won. Since it was not possible to make up the race, the advantage became unbridgeable.

And she was able to unleash her joy: "It's a crazy and insane thing, if they had told me at the beginning of the season I would never have believed it. But I would not have believed I would arrive at the last race as the leader of the standings to compete for the World Cup. Today was a test of tension - said Brignone after the downhill that did not take place -, with the prospect of having a race at three in the afternoon. I was ready to compete and I would have played it until the end. I adapt to everything, it's one of my greatest qualities. I didn't like the Cups received by post (in 2020 due to Covid, ed.), luckily I had received one in Meribel. This time the emotion is greater. Obviously I would have liked to go on the slopes, I felt much better, but this is skiing, it's an outdoor sport and unfortunately sometimes you can't do races. I'm very excited on one hand, on the other I'm already focused on tomorrow (today, ed.), I want to save my energy for a race in which I'll still be playing for another Cup of the World".

And ultimately, in this concentration on the horizon of the next triumph (today at 18 pm Italian time the SuperG) lies the greatness of a character that is not limited to the sporting and competitive dimension, as we have had the opportunity to tell other times. The fact of having won under the eyes of her mother, the former member of the pink avalanche Ninna Quario (Fede thanked her and her father for "never having put their nose into technical things"), makes the appointment centered on Hemingway's mountains even more special. "Federica had almost refused the other cup won in the year of Covid, which arrived at home and not on the track. This time it's different", commented her mother Maria Rosa. Her brother Davide is the other secret of her inexorable growth: "I would be happy for her even if we didn't work together, the fact of being part of her success becomes professional and personal pride, but the beautiful thing is having a sister like that", said the other winning Brignone from the 'valley of the sun'.

That shines even through the wind and snow on a giant champion. Too bad Milan-Cortina is still a year away...