How it unfolded
Italy's Alberto Tomba swept both technical events, giant slalom and slalom, at the Calgary Olympics. He skied with a physical, aggressive line built on unusually strong legs, producing dramatic second-run comebacks that overturned the standings in both events. Nicknamed 'Tomba la Bomba,' his flamboyant style and personality turned alpine skiing into a national talking point in Italy. Four years later at Albertville 1992 he defended his giant slalom title, becoming the first alpine racer to win the same event at consecutive Games, and went on to medal at three consecutive Olympics. He did not win the overall Crystal Globe until 1995, but was already elite at the Olympic and world championship level from the late 1980s.
Why it still matters
This meet turned alpine skiing from a sport followed mainly by Alpine enthusiasts into a national event watched across Italy. Italian television ratings for the sport rose to levels never repeated since, and his aggressive second-run comeback style influenced generations of technical racers that followed.