Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany) (AFP)
Alexis Pinturault, who lines up on Sunday for the giant of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, recognizes that he is "no longer the favorite" for the big crystal globe of the Alpine Skiing World Cup.
"Yes, mathematically it is still accessible," he said during a telephone interview with journalists, "but I am no longer the favorite. The big favorite now is Henrik" Kristoffersen, the Norwegian in head of the general classification with 841 pts, against 722 at Pinturault.
Pinturault finished second overall last year behind Austrian Marcel Hirscher, who ended his career.
Like Pinturault, Kristoffersen is a specialist in technical disciplines, slalom and giant, and took advantage of the Frenchman's two outings in January to widen the gap.
"I prefer to run to win races" rather than to accumulate points, explained the Courchevel skier, "I prefer to go out because I took risks rather than finishing tenth while telling myself that I don't have everything given".
In Garmisch, the French triple winner of the small combined globe will find the giant after a month of January mainly devoted to slalom. "I would like to bounce back correctly by giant, especially after the last three which have happened moderately," he said.
After his inaugural victory at Soelden at the start of the season, he then toiled at Beaver Creek (17th), Alta Badia (8th) and Adelboden (10th) where he was ill.
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