Wengen (Switzerland) (AFP)

Clément Noël, already victorious last year in the Swiss resort, won Sunday's Wengen slalom, ski World Cup event, ahead of the Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen (+40/100) and the Russian Alexander Khoroshilov (+83 / 100).

Best time in the first run, Noël resisted the pressure imposed by Kristoffersen and became the first Frenchman to win twice in slalom at Wengen.

This is the fifth success in the World Cup, the second of the season, for the 22-year-old skier, a slalom specialist.

Last year, Noël won in front of the Austrian Manuel Feller, who finished 20th and his compatriot Marcel Hirscher, a young retiree.

Alexis Pinturault, 4th time of the initial heat can feed big regrets.

Well off in the second act, the Courchevel skier, who had taken the lead in the general classification of the World Cup thanks to his 2nd place in the combined on Friday, yields his throne of leader to Kristoffersen who now precedes him by 78 points.

Author of a superb recovery (+13 places), Jean-Baptiste Grange finished in 9th place, a year after his serious injury to the left knee here in Wengen. Victor Muffat-Jeandet, 3rd in the combined Friday, ranks 14th.

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