The Frenchman: Pinturault released
In his station, Alexis Pinturault (31) had a perfect start with an unexpected combined title on Tuesday, enough to relieve him of all pressure for the rest of the competition.
Above all, "Pintu" had slammed the best time of the super-G round, ahead of all the top names in the discipline.
The super-G is also the discipline where the Frenchman has been most comfortable this winter, with a podium at Beaver Creek (3rd) in November.
"My super-G race was very, very good, he savored on Tuesday. The super-G is a discipline where I have fun, where I feel pretty good on skis. To see after what we can do, but step by step."
He will be accompanied by Blaise Giezendanner, Nils Allègre and possibly a fourth Blue, in place of Cyprien Sarrazin, injured.
Favorite: Marco Odermatt
The 25-year-old Swiss world No.1 hopes to finally win his first medal at the World Championships and can only aim for the title, as he has been dazzling for two seasons in super-G with ten podiums including six victories.
After a knee injury that caused him to miss two races in January, Odermatt resumed his march forward with two spectacular victories in Cortina d'Ampezzo before the Worlds.
Marco Odermatt on January 30, 2023 in Cortina d'Ampezzo © Marco BERTORELLO / AFP
The number: 2
Like the small number of skiers who won in the discipline this winter, namely Marco Odermatt (4 successes) and the other favorite in the race, the Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (2).
Kilde spotted the super-G like Odermatt in the combined on Tuesday, performing "a good run".
"I didn't take more risks than necessary, I know that I have to ski more cleanly," he said.
Holding: Vincent Kriechmayr
Double world champion in Cortina d'Ampezzo (downhill and super-G), the 31-year-old Austrian is less flamboyant this winter with only one podium in the discipline.
But the leader of the powerful Austrian team knows how to choose his goals and shine in big events, as he proved again with a victory in the Kitzbühel downhill in mid-January.
© 2023 AFP