Bastien Midol, winner of the 2019 World Cup overall standings, was beaten by Russian Sergey Ridzik and reigning Canadian Olympic champion Brady Leman.
"The podium is beautiful but there is disappointment to have cracked so close to the end, reacted Midol, well ahead of the final before an error at the end of the course. I am happy not to have done everything. trip for nothing. The course is good, quite long, a bit flat with a difficult and important start, some good curves, it bodes well for the Olympics. "
Marielle Berger-Sabbatel, for her part, finished behind the two top names in the discipline: the Swedish Sandra Naeslund and the Swiss Fanny Smith.
"I am very satisfied with my day, it's good to do several + runs + to fight for the first places, it was a great discovery of the future Olympic site and of this track, not the most technical one we could have. see. It's perfect to start the season like that ", she appreciated.
The French Marielle Berger-Sabbatel in 3rd position behind the Swedish Sandra Naeslund (at the bottom) and the Swiss Fanny Smith during the opening round of the Ski Cross World Cup on November 27, 2021 in Zhangjiakou, China WANG Zhao AFP
Alizée Baron was eliminated in the semifinals (7th), François Place in the quarterfinals (9th).
The 2014 Olympic champion Jean-Frédéric Chapuis retired after a fall in his round of 16.
He was "shaken" but ended the day without "any problem", the staff told AFP.
The events were held at the Secret Garden station in the Zhangjiakou area, at one of the venues for the Beijing Olympics which begin in just over two months (February 4-20).
Sunday will be a Snowboardcross World Cup event on the same course.
© 2021 AFP