That was the big question: would Loïc Meillard, hit in the back before the Sölden giant, be able to go to Finland to compete in the first slalom of the season on Sunday in Levi? For the moment, the answer tends towards the affirmative. While his teammates returned to Switzerland, from the Sami resort for a four-day break before returning to Scandinavia, the skier from Hérémence took the opposite route and is currently in the far North.
The Valaisan, who has not worn the slats since his injury on the Rettenbach glacier two weeks ago, must do free skiing this Tuesday. He will assess during the week whether or not he is fit to enter the gate. “I’m confident,” his coach Matteo Joris told us on the sidelines of our Après-Ski talk, to which he was a guest. Moreover, no additional slalom has been retained to compensate for a possible forfeit of 2nd in the last overall of the World Cup.
A first for Reto Mächler
In total, seven athletes are in the Swiss selection to compete in this slalom in Levi. In addition to Loïc Meillard, 4th in the specialty World Cup last winter, Daniel Yule (7th) and Marc Rochat (9th) will also be at the forefront. They will be accompanied by Luca Aerni, Ramon Zenhäusern, free of his back problems, and Tanguy Nef. “The six have the potential to get on the podium this winter,” continues the head coach of the Swiss slalom racers. The last ticket goes to Reto Mächler. The 23-year-old from Zurich will experience his big baptism in the World Cup. He won his place during an internal qualification held last week.
If there are only seven Swiss at the start of the World Cup slaloms, it is partly because of the results in the European Cup. No red athlete with a white cross has managed to finish in the top 3 of the specialty and secure a fixed place on the White Circus.
JT
Swiss
