41! Marco Odermatt enters the legend of Swiss skiing. By masterfully winning the giant Alta Badia, the Nidwalden became the most successful Swiss skier in the history of the World Cup, ahead of another legend Pirmin Zurbriggen and his 40 successes (the absolute Swiss record is 55 success held by Vreni Schneider).
And as a symbol, this 41st victory totally represents what Marco Odermatt is. Because the skier from Hergiswil, pushed by the competition, had to come out on top to triumph by completing a second crazy route on a Gran Risa, although it was completely broken. In the holes, on the wavelets, he flew to set the best round time while 26 previous giants had mistreated the Dolomites track.
At the cost of a new demonstration, the king of Alta Badia, since he won there for the fifth time, Marco Odermatt beat the French revelation Léo Anguenot, who reached his first podium in the World Cup, with… 85 hundredths ahead. Mad! While the Norwegian Alexander Steen Olsen, returning to competition after missing Val d'Isère, returned to the podium in 3rd place.
Gino Caviezel in the 15, Loïc Meillard does not have the keys
Behind the boss of world skiing, only Gino Caviezel managed to slip into the top 15 of the event. Grison took advantage of his small bib number in the second round to limit the damage and move up to 12th place. He finished in the top 15 for the third time in four giant races.
Loïc Meillard has never found the key on a Gran Risa track which he is not particularly fond of. The Valaisan finished 16th, far from the podium and his ambitions after losing further ground and time in the second round.
Luca Aerni's new comeback
Luca Aerni confirms his good disposition in the discipline. A week after his crazy rise to 4th place in Val d'Isère, the skier from Crans-Montana was once again able to take advantage of an almost immaculate slope in the second round after his initial 29th place to then move up 12 places. He thus scored big points in his quest for the top 30 by finishing 17th.
After a good first round which ended in 17th place, Fadri Janutin was unable to keep up the pace on a track which quickly deteriorated during the second to finish 25th. Thomas Tumler will not score any points since the winner of the Beaver Creek giant is the only athlete to have been eliminated on the second course. Finally, Justin Murisier (33rd) and Livio Simonet (45th) were unable to secure the top 30 on the initial route.
JT
