Sölden (Austria) (AFP)

The best French skier for many years, Alexis Pinturault sees opening this season a unique opportunity to win the big crystal globe from Sunday in Sölden (Austria), between his arrival at full maturity and especially the retirement of the untouchable Marcel Hirscher.

How to beat Marcel Hirscher? In eight seasons dominated by the Austrian no one found the answer, and his rivals Beat Feuz, Aksel Lund Svindal, Kjetil Jansrud, Henrik Kristoffersen and Alexis Pinturault, have in turn broken their teeth on the thick leather of the star white circus.

By retiring this summer at 30 years old, Hirscher surprised and put into play his title of best skier in the world: the suspense is revived in one fell swoop and a boulevard is offered to ambitious, including Alexis Pinturault, 2nd overall last winter.

"Yes without Hirscher it gives more chances to others, but there are many competitors for the big globe, tempers the French.The competition will always be interesting.For me it is a realistic goal (the big globe) since j have already been 2nd (2019) and 3rd (from 2014 to 2016), but I will have to be very regular and versatile. "

The Savoyard will have to be particularly wary of the Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen, twice 2nd overall and also specialist in slalom and giant, as Hirscher, but also the Italian Dominik Paris, as speed remains on a convincing winter (4th of the general, super-G globe).

- "Shape" -

At 28, Alexis Pinturault seems cut for the big globe, the Grail of his sport, not won by a Frenchman since Luc Alphand in 1997. Landed as a young man in a hurry and ultra talented in 2010, physical monster, he won with time as a sure value of the circuit.

Assailed and soothed since the slap received at the world championships in St. Moritz in 2017 (zero medal), the Courchevel skier has forged a rare record in French skiing (23 wins in the World Cup, three Olympic medals, three world medals including a title in combined with Are this year).

"What you have to aim for is to get the victories one after the other, to get podiums, to be very regular," he says, "and the days when things are not so good, you have to be In spite of everything, we have to know how to concretize the days when we are good and to limit the breakage on days that are less favorable. "

In his sleeve, Pinturault has the advantage of versatility: he seems to be the only skier to be able to aim for the podium in both slalom, giant, combined or even super-G, thanks to the rare qualities of speed among the skiers "technicians".

"The skiers understand that without Marcel (Hirscher) the globe is not going to be played on two disciplines, says the director of the French men's team David Chastan, Alexis, who has worked for a long time in speed, may be rewarded for this work. "

- Customized structure -

To put all the chances on his side, Pinturault has also completed this summer, in agreement with the French Ski Federation (FFS) and its sponsors, a structure that is entirely dedicated to him. The Savoyard, who lives in Austria during the winter, has a coach and his equipment paid for by the federation, in addition to a staff paid by his sponsors or by himself (an assistant coach, a physical trainer, a technician, a physiotherapist and a press officer).

This structure, largely inspired by Marcel Hirscher, and also chosen by the Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen, must offer him a tailor-made training, a better recovery and the flexibility essential to his profile of versatile skier who juggles between many disciplines.

Above all, she must be able to seize this year the opportunity to realize her dream.

Program of the giant gentlemen of Sölden (French hours):

Sunday, October 25: 1st round at 10:00, 2nd round at 13:00

© 2019 AFP