Matteo92

It's going to be an Oberg win, we just have to see whether it's Elvira or Hanna.

Looking at the Italians' skiing time, it looks like we brought the same set of skis we used in Antholz. You know, the ones for which they used jam and glue instead of wax.

So, the gap between Shiffrin and Aicher in the overall WC standings is now 219 points. The races left are: - DH x 3 - SG x 2 - GS x 2 - SL x 2 Could Aicher have a glimmer of a chance? She'd obviously need to avoid DNFs, which have been an issue this year, but she could potentially lead the table after next week's races in Val di Fassa, provided there are no cancellations (the weather forecast is very good at the moment).

I think Compagnoni is one of the biggest talents in the history of alpine skiing (in a different universe where she didn't have all those the dramatic injuries, she'd probably be a GOAT candidate), but in terms of career achievements, I believe Brignone is above her at this point.

I never thought I'd see the day Italy had a 30-medal and 10-gold edition of the Winter Olympics, so there are probably too many to choose from. Brignone winning the Super G, because to me that was the story of the Games from a human standpoint. Lollobrigida winning the 3000 meters, because it was the most jaw-dropping performance for me, as everybody — herself included— was saying she had a very rough preparation for the Olympics. The 1-2 in the men's skicross, because it was the one race in which I got to taste the excitement of gradually realizing that something unbelievable is about to happen. That's probably why the first moment that comes to mind when I think of that race is not the final, but the quarterfinal in which the Italians eliminated Howden. If I have to choose just one moment, I'll go with those 3 hours on Sunday February 15th in which I saw Federico Pellegrino realize his dream of a relay medal, then Federica Brignone win the giant slalom, and finally Lisa Vittozzi win the first ever Italian gold in biathlon, with a silver medal in snowboard in the middle.

Mi identifico al 100% in questo stato d'animo, pure io sono in stato semi-depressivo. Come sempre sto evitando qualsiasi immagine della cerimonia di chiusura.

This 3 vs. 3 thing is a pile of horseshit.

Comunque c'è una differenza tra dire 'è mancata la ciliegina sulla torta' e 'era un'occasione irripetibile' e fare un dramma.

Sì ma non capisco in che senso questo li renda "la nostra maledizione negli ultimi anni". Nelle ultime edizioni dei Giochi invernali sono sempre stati nettamente avanti nel medagliere e a Parigi hanno vinto 15 ori quindi non siamo andati neanche vicini a batterli. L'unico caso in cui siamo stati pressoché appaiati è stato a Tokyo, quando abbiamo finito con 10 ori a testa ma loro avevano due argenti in più. Però il fatto di finire dietro all'Olanda in quella occasione ha significato chiudere decimi anziché noni, che mi sembra uno dei più grandi 'sticazzi' della storia dell'olimpismo italiano.

Ma in che senso i Paesi Bassi sono stati la nostra maledizione negli ultimi anni?

That's actually a good way to remind me why nobody should be obsessed with the medal table.

Condivido, anzi, a me ne è sempre fregato zero e negli anni ho discusso con varie persone che si fustigavano per questa storia del piazzamento nel medagliere quando era dovuto solo a una quota di ori relativamente bassa. Però finire quarti perché nella mass hanno pensato di suicidarsi tutti facendo arrivare la fuga bidone più telefonata di sempre è veramente assurdo. Che poi, più che per il medagliere, mi girano a elica perché Giovannini avrebbe vinto l'oro, e si era visto già dalla semifinale che aveva una gamba da far paura.

The disgrace was Di Stefano not making it to the final (he was sick, apparently). Given the form he had this week, he could have chased the breakaway or even tried to follow Bergsma.

I know it's a joke and I laughed at it, but it is true that the results that the Netherlands have consistently achieved in the last decade are just sensational.

I've never cared about the medal table, but losing 3rd place because of that obscene mass start is just insane.

Of course.

Nobody comes out of this race very brilliantly (except for Bergsma and Thorup, of course), but the strategy of all the teams with 2 athletes in the final was especially baffling.

Exactly, that's what makes the other skaters's tactics even more indefensible.

The decisive race was the men's mass start, because it was the one the Netherlands could lose (actually, I did not expect them to win at all). They are not losing the women's race.

That's true for individuals, but just like in cycling, all it takes is a few athletes taking turns. Basically, half the pack threw away a chance at a medal to avoid doing a grand total of two turns.

The Netherlands are going to be 3rd in the medal table thanks to this colossal fuck-up.

I feared something like this would happen when Di Stefano failed to qualify, but this is just laughable.

A gold medal down the drain.

This is ridiculous.

Vittozzi out already In such a good edition of the Olympics for us, biathlon has probably been the most consistently disappointing sport. Today we don’t even have the excuse of the skis, which are more or less on par with the other teams.