Under a bright sun, Kilde was ahead of a breath, 3 / 100th precisely, the Swiss Marco Odermatt, who had won the first super-G on the "Birds of Prey" the day before and thus consolidates the lead in the standings. overall after five of the 37 races on the calendar.

American Travis Ganong completed the podium at 37 / 100th, his first in super-G, ahead of Austrian Olympic champion Matthias Mayer relegated to 92 / 100th behind Kilde.

"It's amazing! It's also amazing to be here at Beaver Creek with the fans back, to cross the finish line and actually hear the fans cheering," he commented hot. .

In mid-December 2020, he hit rock bottom after breaking the cruciate ligament in his right knee, during a super-G training in Austria in Hinterreit.

He was then second in the World Cup standings, finally won by Frenchman Alexis Pinturault.

The 29-year-old Norwegian, winner of the Big Crystal Globe in 2020, only returned to competition last weekend in Lake Louise.

And Thursday at Beaver Creek he could not finish the first super-G on the program.

But he did shine for his third race, depriving Odermatt, however imperial the day before, of a double in Colorado.

The Norwegian Kjetil Jansrud, reassuring, after a fall in the super-G of Beaver Creek, December 3, 2021 Sarah Stier Getty / AFP

The fear Jansrud

“It's been a long battle, a lot of ups and downs. To come forward today and win this race is amazing, I'm super happy. Yesterday I was just a little too excited and just finished. off the course. Today my plan was just to take it down a notch, "he said.

Kilde, patient a little more calmly during the passage of all his competitors, once the danger Odermatt has been evacuated, also had a big rise in stress, witnessing the impressive fall of his compatriot Kjetil Jansrud who was finally able to get up and even go down the track on his skis, after having violently hit the safety net on exiting a bend.

"For sure it's a bittersweet day. We're on the same team and Kjetil is one of my closest friends. To see this terrible accident was really, really painful. But he's on his feet, even. if I don't think he's doing too well. I'm just crossing my fingers that it's not too bad, "he hoped.

Kilde must also have trembled a little when she saw the start of the race by Alexis Pinturault, who started off very well since he was in front after the first two sectors.

But the Courchevel skier could not keep his promises, losing almost a second on the second part of the route, to finally rank 6th, like Thursday.

Alexis Pinturault on the Beaver Creek super-G track, December 3, 2021 Sean M. Haffey Getty / AFP

Just behind pointe Matthieu Bailet (7th at 1 sec 20), Nils Allegre finishing 11th (at 1 sec 59), Mathieu Fèvre 15th (at 1 sec 84) and Blaise Giezendanner 16th (at 1 sec 85)

The skiers have an appointment on Saturday for the descent in the Colorado resort.

© 2021 AFP