Val Gardena is preparing for a historic weekend. As part of the 58th Saslong Classic, three top-level World Cup races will take place just before Christmas: a sprint downhill on Thursday, 18 December; the super-G on Friday; and the classic downhill on Saturday, 20 December.

This ambitious program promises to test the world’s best racers just weeks before the 2026 Winter Olympics and to offer spectators an extra dose of adrenaline on the demanding Saslong slope with its notorious Camel Humps.

The hunt for last year’s winners is on. Mattia Casse aims to defend his super-G victory, the first of his career, while in the downhill Marco Odermatt is again the man to beat after earning his first Saslong win last season. He is a top favorite for both speed events and could become only the third athlete to win the double in a single year, following Aksel Lund Svindal (2015) and Aleksander Kilde (2020).

Kilde, meanwhile, will draw special attention after last year’s serious injury. The five-time Val Gardena/Gröden winner (three downhill, two super-G) is a fan favorite, and his return to the Saslong is eagerly awaited.

The organizing committee, led by President Rainer Senoner, Sunday evening after the traditional kick-off-meeting has announced excellent course conditions. Thanks to Horst Demetz and his team, the slopes are perfectly prepared and ready for a spectacular weekend at the foot of the Dolomites.