Sat 25/01 - Kitzbuehel and Cortina(2) Downhills

Another good day yesterday, winning all the head to heads. Actually, I haven't seen what happened in slalom's run2 - I know it was strange, although not as strange as run1 setted by Papa Kostelic.
Feeling is that Hargin's peak form is either gone, or rather faded, or it's still there (he's stil a top performer) but he's bearing in his mind what happened in Adelboden when he couldn't hold the lead and dropped to 4th in the second run.

On to today's DHs - the biggest events of the tours.

I think anything could happen in Kitz. But for the most part Bode looks like the one who should win (my humble opininion: Bode came back more for winning Kitz than for the Olympics). Svindal maybe his the best physical power and endurance -key elements on this long course. Reichelt's form has raised recently and so Kueng's. Last year winner, Paris, had problems getting back in shape after his crash in december, hardly he'll defend his title.

On ladies side Hoefl-Riesch is the one to beat, her form is terrific at the moment and she's in full run for the Cup.
Behind her the same lot: Fenninger, Weirather and Goergl.
I had good impressions from Mancuso yesterday, and I'm backing her today, she's getting closer and closer to the top, and so is the whole US team: almost every one scored a season best yesterday.
So I'm picking Leanne Smith over Marchand-Arvier: the frenchwoman lost the whole pre-season and came back to race only few weekends ago, all the missing time is sensible seeing her racing.
Also backing Merighetti, on her favourite course; I know Schmidhofer (bib #39) was 3rd yesterday but I think condition changed a bit for late starters: young US Jakie Wiles (bib #41) was 15th (first WC points for her) and Hungarian Miklos (bib #45) was 18th tied with Slovenian Ferk (bib #38)  

Thu 23/01 - Cortina ladies Super-G 1

Veeeery long weekend for alpine skiing. Ladies racing 2 downhills and 2 super-gs replacing the cancelled races in Cortina last weekend, and replacing Garmish.
Men in Kitzbuehel, where from lack of snow we're passed to too much snow, and schedule is changed almost every 15 minutes. Main goal of the organizators is to save the downhill that is like the Wimbledon or Super Bowl of alpine skiing.

First the (shite) results from last weekend:

Market not offering big prices today, only found this bet.

Schmidhofer is quite solid in SG and was 2nd last year, Ruiz-Castillo is too up-and-down though she was 4th last year.

Small margins for a surebet on E.Fanchini - Lindell-Vikarby between bet365 and pinnacle

Sat 18/01 - Cortina and Wengen Downhills

Very heavy saturday as both gender are racing on the best (imho) downhill courses of their calendar.

Open brawl in women's one, where I honestly don't know what could happen. Maze likes this slope, but Maria Riesch looks like the one to beat. Fenninger, Weirather and Kaufmann-Abderalden, though, have been the most solid so far, while Gut's shape has little faded and Goergl's one has raised.
To all this there's to add the cancelled training, and due to fog start has already been lowered.

In men's DH I think there might be surprises -read Svindal could not win this. The vinking in fact doesn't like this course and has never won here (he also crashed dramatically last year).
I couldn't say who could replace Svindal on the top step of the podium though; my names are: Innerhofer, who usually does well here, and so do Reichelt; same for Kroell but his form doesn't look the best; my dark horse would be Beat Feuz: the Swiss has won here in 2012 and his season has been decent considering he's skipped last season

Today's pick, and yesterday's outcome.

EDIT: Cortina has been cancelled, pick refounded