Another feat for Marco Odermatt. In front of an audience that was just waiting for that, the Swiss equaled the record for consecutive victories at the Adelboden giant on Sunday, a mark held until now only by another ski legend, Ingemar Stenmark (1979 to 1982). Switzerland is all the more jubilant as another Swiss placed behind the leader of the general classification, Loïc Meillard, who had set the best time in the first round before ranking 2nd, 20 hundredths behind his compatriot. The Italian Luca De Aliprandini (+0″69), 12th in the first run and author of the best time in the final round, completes the podium.
It had been 16 years, and Marc Berthod’s victory ahead of Daniel Albrecht, since we had seen a Swiss double over the most legendary giant on the calendar. In front of a crowd flushed with happiness and under a radiant sky, the Swiss put on a show and held the top of the bill. They took four of the first seven places, with Thomas Tumler placing 4th (+1″14) and Luca Aerni 7th (+1″86). The French, for their part, could only observe this triumphant red tide from afar.
From 12th to 3rd: the performance of the leaping De Aliprandini
Video credit: Eurosport
Pinturault at the gates of the top 10
There were nine in the first round and only two in the second. Alexis Pinturault, triple winner at the bottom of the Chuenisbärgli, took 12th place, his best result in giant since his return from injury. The Courchevel skier ranked just ahead of Thibaut Favrot (13th at 2″66). A revelation from Alta Badia (2nd), Léo Anguenot was heading towards the provisional top 5 before making a mistake at the end of the first round. The regrets are there for Haut-Savoyard. The promises too.
Kristoffersen’s zero does Odermatt’s business
For Odermatt, this is already his 42nd World Cup victory, the fifth of the season. He made an excellent accounting operation knowing the abandonment of Henrik Kristoffersen (inside fault in the 2nd round), his runner-up in the ranking of small and large globes. As a giant, he is 101 points ahead of the Norwegian. Overall, his mattress is now 156 units thick. Good to take, obviously, before continuing the tour of the Swiss ski temples. In five days, it will already be Wengen time.
