Viewed from the top of the 2,255-metre-high Stelvio piste, the town of Bormio far below looks like a Christmas cake, with pine trees and church spires poking out of a snow-filled scene. The two are connected by a run which, with a vertical drop of 1,010 metres and gradients reaching 60%, is one of the most technically demanding and physically gruelling descents on the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Ski World Cup circuit. The men’s downhill and super-G events are held here regularly, including this December.
