Kitzbühel (Austria) (AFP)
Clément Noël, 3rd, was once again on the podium in the Kitzbühel (Austria) slalom on Sunday, when Alexis Pinturault straddled and still lost precious points for the general classification of the World Cup.
The Swiss Daniel Yule confirmed his new status with a third victory this season in front of the local Marco Schwarz. The Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen finished 4th and took the lead in the general classification.
Suddenly, the gray sky of Kitzbühel fell on his head. In the third of the second run, after a first quality "run" (5th), Alexis Pinturault, the best French skier, got on. He therefore scored no points for the second consecutive time in slalom after leaving the track in Wengen (Switzerland) last Sunday.
- "Uncomfortable" -
Kitzbühel: the legendary alpine ski resort acts like a distorting mirror. Last season, it reflected the renewed confidence of Alexis Pinturault in the risky discipline of slalom, with a 3rd place behind the prodigy Clément Noël and his lifelong rival Marcel Hirscher.
Hirscher retired since the summer, Pinturault naturally advances as one of the favorites with the big crystal globe, the Grail of the skier. But this year Kitzbühel, relentless, returns the image of a month of January for the moment missed and of a confidence soared.
"I'm a little disappointed, it's the second time in a row, said Pinturault, who appeared to be shot in the mixed zone. I don't care about mistakes but as long as there are problems it can't go. moment I set off a bit early, I'm not comfortable on the ice and I'm riding. "
Alexis Pinturault, now 4th overall 99 points behind the Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen, not very flamboyant but regular and 4th Sunday, must resume on Tuesday for the night slalom in Schladming (Austria), ready for his winter stronghold.
- 9th podium for Christmas -
His situation contrasts with that of Clément Noël who, despite a fault in the first run (9th) followed by a huge error on the second course, still managed to climb on the podium (3rd at 37 hundredths).
Christmas will not repeat its fabulous Wengen / Kitzbühel double of 2019 this year, but already validates its 9th podium in the World Cup, at only 22 years old. In the specialty classification, he was 3rd, 52 points from Kristoffersen and 35 points from Yule, the winner of the day.
The 26-year-old Swiss won his third victory this season after Madonna (Italy) and Adelboden (Switzerland) in early January, when he had only one so far.
Marco Schwarz (24), who has the difficult task of filling the void left by Marcel Hirscher, delighted the Austrian public with his 2nd place, at least those who were able to get up after celebrating a good part of the night the coronation by Matthias Mayer on the legendary descent of the Streif on Saturday.
Another skier made a lasting impression on Sunday: the Norwegian Lucas Braathen, born in 2000 (19 years old) dominated the first heat with an impossible bib (34, the best start first). The youngster, with his teenage face and his inseparable beige neck warmer, held up the shock of the 2nd heat to place 4th tied with Kristoffersen and achieve the best result of his career, for his 6th start in slalom only .
Jean-Baptiste Grange did not finish the 2nd round, Julien Lizeroux is 15th and Victor Muffat-Jeandet 23rd. Lizeroux, over 40, was born 21 years earlier than Braathen and shared this weekend the room of Steven Amiez (unqualified in 2nd round), 20 years after having started in the World Cup on this same track with his Father Sébastien Amiez, Olympic slalom vice-champion in 2002.
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