Italian skier Giovanni Franzoni won the Kitzbühel downhill race on January 24, 2026, claiming his first downhill World Cup title.

Italian skier Giovanni Franzoni won the downhill race at Kitzbühel on January 24, 2026, claiming his second World Cup victory in two weeks and his first in the downhill event. The 24-year-old, a former junior world champion, surged to victory on the Streif course, finishing ahead of Marco Odermatt and Maxence Muzaton. His win follows a third-place finish in super-G last month and a maiden World Cup win in super-G at Wengen. The emotional triumph comes after the recent death of his close friend and former roommate, Matteo Franzoso. Franzoni’s strong performances boost his momentum ahead of the Winter Olympics, set to be held in Italy.