SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria — Teamwork and camaraderie play a pivotal role in the success of the Swiss men’s ski team, which operates as a closely bonded group of friends, both on and off the snow. Their recent achievements at the Alpine skiing world championships have only strengthened these ties. Yet, amidst the jubilance of winning their third gold medal, a lighthearted debate has arisen within the team: should the slalom skiers join in shaving their heads as a sign of unity?
Following a remarkable performance on Sunday, where Franjo von Allmen clinched gold and Alexis Monney secured bronze in downhill, the speed team members opted for a collective head shave, symbolizing their friendship. This act of solidarity became a topic of discussion once again when Von Allmen teamed up with slalom racer Loic Meillard for the newly introduced team combined event. The duo’s success spurred Von Allmen to joke about the shaving tradition, saying, “I hope the tech coaches have brought the right tools for [shaving the hair].” However, Meillard opted to skip this ritual, explaining, “No, I leave that for the young guys; I still have to look nice for the next races,” as he prepares for both giant slalom and slalom competitions this week.
In their recent combined event, Von Allmen and Meillard outpaced silver medalists Monney and Tanguy Nef by 0.27 seconds, with Stefan Rogentin and Marc Rochat finishing just 0.43 seconds behind the leaders to claim bronze. Meillard expressed his excitement over the impressive Swiss representation on the podium, noting, “Totally crazy, three Swiss teams on the podium is amazing.” He also remarked on the overall excitement within the team, adding, “I think everyone on the team is going crazy.”
The moment of victory saw Monney jumping over barriers to embrace his teammate in celebration after their silver win, capturing the euphoria that had enveloped the Swiss team. Monney shared his feelings, stating, “Incredibly cool, not just my performance but the performance of the entire Swiss team. To be on the podium with six Swiss skiers is something for history.” Earlier that day, Monney set the fastest time in the downhill portion, giving his teammate Nef a mere 0.02-second lead as he transitioned into the slalom course.
Meanwhile, Meillard clocked in a slalom run impressively faster than Nef’s time, showcasing the pressure he felt racing for his teammate. “I was way more nervous than when I race just for myself,” he commented, emphasizing a strong desire to contribute to the team’s success. Von Allmen faced a challenge early in his downhill run but managed to recover, displaying a commendable performance that further solidified his breakthrough season, which boasts four World Cup podium finishes.
This event marked a notable moment in Swiss skiing history, representing the first men’s podium sweep since 1987. The Swiss team displayed remarkable dominance, managing to occupy the top-six positions in a downhill event on the lower European Cup circuit early on the same day. This triumph added to the team’s tally at the championships, which also includes gold medals for Marco Odermatt in the super-G and a bronze for Monney in downhill, along with a silver in the mixed-team parallel event.
Although Odermatt chose not to participate in the team combined, he was present to support his teammates and partake in the celebrations. The team combined format includes one racer competing in a downhill run while another tackles a slalom, with the combined times determining the overall results—an event set to debut at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics.
On the American side, Ryan Cochran-Siegle and Benjamin Ritchie finished fourth in the men’s combined event, just missing the medal by 0.26 seconds. Cochran-Siegle’s attempt at following in his mother Barbara Cochran’s footsteps—who won a slalom medal in 1970—added an emotional layer to the race given their shared Olympic legacies.
Attention now turns to the women’s giant slalom, where defending champion Mikaela Shiffrin will sit out due to feeling unprepared for competition following a recent crash. Each day unfolds new challenges and triumphs at the championships, capturing the essence of competitive skiing.
