Andorra's Xavier Cornella Claims Best-Ever Olympic Slalom Result with 21st Place

Xavier Cornella finished 21st in the men's slalom at the Milan-Cortina Olympics, marking Andorra's best-ever result in the discipline. The 24-year-old Andorran skier clocked a combined time of 2:01.96 across two runs on Monday in Cortina d'Ampezzo, achieving his Olympic debut just a day before his 25th birthday.

Cornella described the performance as his most tactically astute race of the season, rather than his fastest technically. Facing a challenging course set by an Italian tracer—steep, trap-filled with tight, offset gates—he adapted after observing early starters veer off track amid poor visibility and difficult conditions. Starting later in the first run from the hospitality area, he opted for a conservative approach to ensure he reached the finish, securing a top-30 spot for the second run.

"In seeing so many competitors go off course, I decided to be a bit smarter and get to the bottom," Cornella said. "In the toughest sections, I was more tactical." This strategy paid off: relaxed in the second run with bib number 7 on a cleaner piste under improving weather, he attacked aggressively, gaining positions despite briefly occupying the "hot seat."

Though not his peak skiing—"there are other races where I risked more"—Cornella prioritised risk assessment over all-out speed, avoiding the DNFs that eliminated many rivals. He expressed satisfaction with his season-long progress, part of the Andorran Ski Federation's high-performance group for over eight years.

Looking ahead, Cornella aims to drop below 100th in the FIS world slalom rankings—he started the season at 180th and hovers near 100 now—ahead of next season's World Cup and Europa Cup campaigns. Consistency in the World Cup circuit remains key, with mental strength now differentiating him as technique solidifies.

"This result is extra motivation for the future," he said, having trained alongside top racers and proven he can compete. In two to three years, he targets a top-50 world ranking, building on this Olympic breakthrough. One World Cup slalom remains this season, after which he'll focus on finals qualification.