Albert Popov celebrates the first Bulgarian World Cup victory in Madonna di Campiglio for 45 years. The triumph is all the more remarkable when you know Popov's life story - a story that almost ended tragically at the age of 18.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Albert Popov takes his first World Cup victory in Madonna di Campiglio. For the first time in 45 years, a Bulgarian wins a World Cup race.
- Nine years ago, Popov had a serious accident. His coach at the time died in the car accident.
- The Bulgarian then worked his way back into the World Cup. He has now established himself among the world's best with spectacular performances.
What a performance from Albert Popov! The Bulgarian shone in the second run of the night slalom in Madonna di Campiglio on Wednesday, catapulting himself from eighth place to the top. With this sensational victory, he follows in Peter Popangelov's footsteps exactly 45 years after his triumph and becomes only the second Bulgarian to win a World Cup race.
The fact that Popov can even ski at this level is nothing short of a miracle. A good nine years ago, on November 17, 2015, the now 27-year-old narrowly survived a serious car accident in the Ötztal valley in Tyrol.
On the way to the Rettenbachferner, the car in which he was sitting with his coach Drago Grubelnik and a co-trainer plummeted over 250 meters. Grubelnik died in hospital and the assistant coach suffered serious injuries.
Popov himself was very lucky, he escaped with a broken ankle and abrasions. "I got to know a different side of life," he later said in an interview. He has no memory of the accident itself.
The rise after the stroke of fate
After this stroke of fate, Popov only returned to the World Cup a year later - in Sölden of all places, not far from the scene of the accident. Although he clearly missed the second run there, his rise was not long in coming.
In January 2019, the 1.64-metre tall Bulgarian attracted attention for the first time: with bib number 71, he again sensationally finished in the top 10 in Kitzbühel. Just a few days later, he impressed again when he finished sixth in the night slalom in Schladming.
Popov's thoughts were with his late coach at the time: "I hope Drago is proud of me. He did a lot to help me make it this far." Popov continued his ascent undeterred. In February 2023, he achieved his first World Cup podium with a third place in Palisades Tahoe.
On skis for the first time at the age of two
The fact that Popov has developed into one of the best slalom skiers in the world comes as no surprise to anyone who knows his background: he first skied at the age of two. His mother and sister were also successful skiers, and Popov himself won the prestigious "Trofeo Topolino" children's race in 2012 and 2013.
Popov has now secured his first World Cup victory in Madonna di Campiglio, winning ahead of Loïc Meillard. "It's brutal. I didn't believe I could win until the last skier," he says in the SRF interview after the race. "I wanted to risk everything and was lucky that I didn't make a mistake. I changed skis before the second run, I think that was the right thing to do. I am proud."
The action continues on Saturday for Popov, Meillard and the other slalom cracks. Then the classic race in Adelboden is on the program, before heading to Wengen (19.1.), Kitzbühel (26.1.) and Schladming (29.1.). Who knows, maybe Popov will make his fans cheer again in January.
