Marco Odermatt is in the lead in the World Cup giant slalom in Alta Badia. The man from Nidwalden is in 3rd place in the intermediate classification of the first run.
22.12.2024, 11:04
22.12.2024, 11:35
SDA
Filip Zubcic and Alexander Steen Olsen were slightly faster than Odermatt on the course marked out by Swiss coach Helmut Krug and in slope conditions that gave rise to discussion. The Croatian and the Norwegian will be taking a reserve of 19 and 5 hundredths respectively into the second run.
Behind Odermatt, who has already won the classic on the Gran Risa piste four times, most recently three times in a row, was Henrik Kristoffersen, who leads the discipline rankings. Steen Olsen's compatriot lost 29 hundredths to Zubcic.
The Norwegians were once again a force to be reckoned with. Timon Haugan and Atle Lie McGrath rounded off the Nordics' successful performance with 5th and 7th place. Austria's Marco Schwarz, who was back in a World Cup giant slalom for the first time since his momentous crash in the downhill in Bormio a year ago, came in between the duo.
Loïc Meillard was the next best Swiss skier in 10th place, one second behind, while Thomas Tumler and Fadri Janutin lost around one and a half seconds and Gino Caviezel almost two seconds. Luca Aerni and Justin Murisier follow in the intermediate rankings, 2.5 and 2.8 seconds behind respectively.
The discussions about the condition of the piste had already started after the inspection. The criticism went so far that the riders even refused to tackle the race.
