The curse continues. For the French speed team in general, and for Alexis Pinturault in particular. The Frenchman fell violently during the Kitzbühel Super-G on Friday. With bib 19, he started the course quickly before being surprised by a movement in the ground after around twenty seconds of racing. Unbalanced, the skier from Moutiers hit a door before sliding into the safety nets.
Pinturault, 33, immediately seemed touched. He got up for a few seconds to take off his shoes before sitting down in the snow. First placed on a stretcher, the Frenchman seemed to be suffering from his right knee and was finally airlifted. He had already suffered a serious fall a year ago, during the Super-G in Wengen. Victim of a serious injury to his left knee, Pinturault had to end his season and spend many months in rehabilitation. He had decided to settle for the giant and super-G events in the World Cup.
While waiting for a medical press release, this is confirmation of a massacre within the French speed team this season. Adrien Fresquet had to end his season after injuring his shin during a fall at Beaver Creek, just like Cyprien Sarrazin, who was seriously injured in the head in Bormio. Blaise Giezendanner suffered a knee injury last week in Wengen and also had to end his season. And a few minutes after Pinturault, Florien Loriot also fell in Kitzbühel and had to be evacuated by helicopter. Nils Alphand was also the victim of a fall, apparently not serious. But this endless curse which necessarily raises the question of safety conditions in speed events.
