Alpine skiing history was rewritten on Friday when Jan Zabystran pulled off a remarkable upset in the men’s World Cup super-G at Val Gardena. The 27-year-old from the Czech Republic defied expectations to capture his first ever World Cup victory. In doing so he became the first male skier representing the Czech Republic to win a race at this elite level, ending decades without a Czech triumph in men’s World Cup competition.
Zabystran entered the super-G with modest World Cup credentials. Prior to Friday, his best finish was eighth place in a super-G at Kvitfjell earlier in the season. Starting with bib number 29, he delivered a near-flawless run down the legendary Saslong course. Capitalising on clearer light and a slight tailwind, Zabystran clocked a time of 1 minute 24.86 seconds, edging out Swiss superstar Marco Odermatt by a narrow 0.22 seconds.
Odermatt, the early favourite, was already a dominant force in the sport. He had claimed victory in the downhill race at Val Gardena just a day earlier and entered the super-G as the overall World Cup leader. Despite his recent success and status as one of the sport’s most consistent performers, the Swiss great could not fend off Zabystran’s stunning performance. Nevertheless, Odermatt extended his lead in the overall standings and also took the top spot in the super-G discipline rankings for the season.
Italian skier Giovanni Franzoni completed the podium with a strong third-place finish, crossing the line 0.37 seconds behind Zabystran. This result marked a career milestone for Franzoni, another standout performer in Val Gardena’s unpredictable conditions.
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Zabystran’s breakthrough was met with spontaneous celebration from fans and fellow competitors alike. He later described the achievement as surreal, reflecting on how simply qualifying for a World Cup race once seemed like an ambitious goal. The victory, in a sport long dominated by athletes from alpine powerhouses such as Switzerland, Austria, and Norway, symbolizes a significant achievement for Czech alpine skiing.
The conditions at Val Gardena have a history of producing surprise results, with late sunshine and shifting shadows playing a role in race outcomes. Friday’s super-G was no exception, and Zabystran seized the moment perfectly, finishing ahead of most of the field despite his lower start position.
The Czech Republic has seen World Cup winners before, particularly on the women’s side with athletes like Ester Ledecká. However, Zabystran’s win marks the first time a Czech male athlete has stood atop the podium in the World Cup, cementing his name in the sport’s history books.
Zabystran’s success adds a dramatic twist to a season largely dominated by Odermatt. The Swiss skier remains on track for more victories and is expected to compete in the upcoming downhill later in Val Gardena. The World Cup circuit will then shift to Alta Badia, Italy, for giant slalom and slalom events.
This breakthrough result demonstrates how unpredictable and thrilling alpine skiing can be, particularly in speed events where conditions and timing can play as much a role as raw talent. As the World Cup season builds momentum toward the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Zabystran’s victory has injected fresh excitement into the racing calendar and shown that rising talents can still shake up the sport’s established order.
