Franco Bieler

Franco Bieler, along with Gustavo Thoeni, Piero Gros and others were part of the Valanga Azzurra (Blue Avalanche) that dominated the Alpine Skiing World Cup in the 1970s. Bieler’s first World Cup result of note was in finishing 10th in the downhill at Sankt Anton am Arlberg, Austria, in February 1973. His only World Cup victory was in the giant slalom at Morzine, France, in January 1976, when he finished ahead of teammate Gros and Sweden’s Ingemar Stenmark. At the Winter Olympic Games at Innsbruck that year, Bieler finished eighth in the giant slalom but did not finish the special slalom following a fall on the second run, after an excellent fourth place finish on the first run.

Bieler obtained two more World Cup podium finishes, and both were in the special slalom in 1977. He finished third at Kitzbühel in Austria, behind Stenmark and Gros, and a second to Stenmark, at Åre, Sweden. Bieler’s last major international placement was in January 1978, when he finished ninth in the special World Cup slalom at Wengen, Switzerland.

Domestically, Bieler won the 1977 Italian slalom title and was four times national runner-up, in the Alpine combined (1973), downhill and giant slalom (1974), and slalom (1976). After his competitive career, Bieler became the owner of the Alpenrose Hotel in Gressoney.