Albert Popov, first victorious Bulgarian in 45 years, Steven Amiez 4th

2025 is off to a startling start, to say the least. For the first race of the year, Madonna di Campiglio offered a pretty crazy scenario with the first victory of Albert Popov, winner of the Italian slalom. Eighth in the first round, the Bulgarian set the best time in the second round to offer Bulgaria its second World Cup victory, 45 years to the day after Petar Popangelov's success in Lenggries on January 8, 1980.

Loic Meillard (+ 0''44), who takes the red bib as leader of the discipline, and Samuel Kolega (+ 0''46) complete a podium at the foot of which we find Steven Amiez (4th, + 0'' 64). Paco Rassat finished 12th and Victor Muffat-Jeandet 21st.

We thought Atle Lie McGrath was above the rest and on cloud nine this Wednesday, just like what he produced on the Italian snow during a round and a half. But the Norwegian, who had a lead of more than a second, cracked under the pressure of closing the gate and made a mistake, like many in this second round (9 retirements) and like Clément Noël during the first round. But not Albert Popov. The little Bulgarian, who had announced between the heats that he wanted to change skis to attack even more, kept his word.

Starting with a big commitment, as always, the skier from Sofia made his tactics speak in the most important portion of the route, a banana-double sequence which had to be negotiated well to launch the wall. He did it perfectly. Untouchable on the slope, to the point of sticking more than half a second to Meillard or Kristoffersen, the Bulgarian signed a perfect round. At 27 years old, and after a first podium two years ago in Palisades Tahoe (3rd), Albert Popov finally succeeds his illustrious predecessor, Petar Popangelov, last Bulgarian World Cup winner. As a sign of destiny, it was already January 8, in Lenggries, in 1980.

Still as consistent, Loic Meillard still has to settle for a place on the podium (2nd, + 0''44) but the Swiss will console himself by seizing the red bib as leader of the Slalom World Cup, just before Adelboden. He is 10 points ahead of Henrik Kristoffersen (5th, +0''74) and 85 over Clément Noël, the big loser of the day after his retirement in the first round. 3rd in Madonna (+ 0''46), the Croatian Samuel Kolega confirms his good form and climbs for the first time on a World Cup podium. A podium which could well have landed in Steven Amiez's pocket.

Placed at the end of the first round (6th, 0''34 from the Croatian and 0''99 from McGrath), the Frenchman let loose a little more during the second, showing a real desire to attack and to be more direct. Unfortunately, his good intentions faded gradually, his ski hitting the wall and failing to get the first podium of his career.

But Amiez still achieved a nice 4th place (+0''62), his best career result and continues to progress in the world hierarchy. Best result also, equal, for Paco Rassat, author of his third top 15 of the winter by taking 12th place (+ 1”45), after moving up 13 places in the second round. Narrowly qualified (30th time), Victor Muffat-Jeandet took advantage of the opportunity to gain 10 places and grab the top 20 (20th, + 2''95). For his first qualification, Antoine Azzolin came out.