A crystal globe as a birthday present.

On his thirtieth birthday, alpine skier Alexis Pinturault gave France their first World Cup victory in alpine skiing since 1997.

The Savoyard won the title brilliantly by taking the victory in the giant slalom in Lenzerheide (Switzerland).

With 107 points ahead of the Swiss Marco Odermatt, Alexis Pinturault can no longer be joined in the World Cup standings in the last event, the slalom on Sunday.

Second in the World Cup in 2019 and 2020, Pinturault became at 30 the fourth French skier to win the title after Jean-Claude Killy (1967 and 1968), Michèle Jacot (1970) and Luc Alphand, the last, in 1997 .

He benefited from the cancellation, due to bad weather in the canton of Graubünden, of several events planned in Lenzerheide, including the downhill and the Super-G, which could have benefited Odermatt and his top speed.

But the Swiss could not do better than 11th Saturday at 1 sec 28 from his French rival.

Alexis Pinturault worked tirelessly, overcame several disappointments and made strong choices to flourish until he became the world No. 1 in his discipline on Saturday.

The Zidane of the snowy slopes

The French skier has been devouring the World Cup podiums for more than ten years, 70 in total, including 34 victories, the 9th most victorious skier in history, by far the best French.

From March 2011, not even 20 years old and after two world titles among juniors, the phenomenon climbed on a first podium in Kranjska Gora (Slovenia).

Then he won in January 2012 in Moscow, the machine was launched.

This versatile talent, capable of shining on almost any terrain, quickly won unanimous support as "the new Killy", the snow-covered equivalent of the new Zidane.

Despite five world medals and three Olympic podiums, Alexis Pinturault experienced several notable failures.

In February, a big favorite, he set off last on the second round of the world championship giant Cortina d'Ampezzo with a comfortable lead, but missed inexplicably.

"He may take a step back, he dramatizes less bad results and attaches less importance to good results," noted his trainer, Fabien Munier, in an interview with AFP.

"I can feel him more fulfilled in general. He is gradually starting to crack the shell he had put around him."

 With AFP

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