Alpine skiing: Christmas in the lead after the first leg of Levi's slalom

Levi (Finland) (AFP)

Clément Noël clocked the best time of the first leg of the Levi slalom on Sunday in Finland in difficult visibility conditions, ahead of Dave Ryding of Great Britain and Switzerland's Ramon Zenhäusern.

With a time of 54 sec 55, the Vosgien, disrupted by back pain in the fall, relegated to 39 / 100th Ryding and 66 / 100th Zenhäusern on the provisional podium of this first slalom and second round of the Cup season of the world, before the second run at 13:15 French time.

Last season's revelation between tight pickets, Noël, 22, made the legendary double Wengen / Kitzbühel in Swiss and Austrian legendary stations, before winning in Andorra in Soldeu for the finals, to ensure a second place in the slalom world cup standings behind Hirscher.

The other French race Sunday are far from their compatriot and will not compete in the second round reserved for the top 30 of the first: Jean-Baptiste Grange is 31st at 2 sec 32, Alexis Pinturault 36th at 2 sec 48 and Victor Muffat-Jeandet 40th at 2 sec 75.

© 2019 AFP