Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italy) (AFP)

Frenchman Alexis Pinturault, in great shape, is aiming for a first gold medal in his favorite discipline, the giant, of which he is the big favorite at the Alpine Skiing Worlds in Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italy).

- The defending champion: Henrik Kristoffersen -

Winner of the little giant's globe last winter, the Norwegian is struggling this season in the discipline.

In six starts, he has no podium and only two top-10s, a misery for him.

"This season is so far the most difficult of my career in the World Cup", he wrote in January on his blog, where he criticized the evolution of the discipline with tracks too fast and dangerous according to him.

“Most everyone goes through lows, because of an injury or some other issue, and I'm here. It's important for me to stay positive. I don't have to reinvent the wheel, I know I'm a good skier. "

- The favorite: Alexis Pinturault -

The Frenchman achieved at 29 the best season of his career.

He leads the general classification of the World Cup and has already won two medals in two races at the Cortina Worlds (super-G bronze, combined silver).

As a giant, he reached an exceptional level and remains on three consecutive victories at Alta Badia (Italy) at the end of December then on the two races of Adelboden (Switzerland) in January, where he had crushed the competition (more than a second d 'advance both times).

"If it is necessary to choose one (discipline), the giant is close to my heart. It is a discipline where I have not yet been able to go for the gold, I would like to be able to do it", said Pinturault after combined.

After two bronze medals at the Olympic Games and two world bronze medals, he is indeed missing the gold of his flagship discipline, where no Frenchman has been titled since Jean-Claude Killy in 1968.

Pinturault preferred to take two full days of rest on Tuesday and Wednesday at Altenmarkt (Austria, his winter base camp) rather than compete in the parallel events, to attack the giant in great shape.

- The statement -

“For me the giant is the best chance to win a medal and I will attack. I think I have a role of favorite, not any big favorite, but for the podium I am expected. I knew how to handle the pressure, I proved it with my results, even if it was not perfect, I still have a good chance on Friday ", from Switzerland's Marco Odermatt.

Versatile, the 23-year-old Swiss prodigy has not yet won a medal in Cortina (disappointing 11th in the super-G, impressive 4th in the descent, 11th in the individual parallel).

It is as a giant that he is the most comfortable this season: in six races, his worst place was 4th, for four podiums including a victory at Santa Caterina (Italy) in December.

He presents himself with a serious claim to victory.

Friday February 19: men's giant, 1st round at 10:00 a.m. (09:00 GMT), 2nd round at 13:30 (12:30 GMT)

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