KEYSTONE
Loïc Meillard secures his third podium finish in a World Cup slalom this winter in Alta Badia. The Frenchman took second place behind the superior Norwegian.
Meillard had finished third in Levi in Finland and a good week ago in Val d’Isère, in between fifth in Gurgl in the Ötztal – and now this 2nd place, a result that cannot be overestimated due to his ailing health. Meillard is once again struggling with back pain, his pain-stricken face after the downswing after the two runs spoke volumes.
According to the plan, Meillard would start the Super-G in Bormio in the days shortly before the turn of the year. He left open whether he will travel to Valtellina. As at the beginning of the season, when his back prevented him from starting in the giant slalom in Sölden, he is looking from day to day.
Daniel Yule made it into the top ten for the first time this winter, but he couldn’t be completely satisfied. The man from Valais, the best-placed Swiss in the morning with 6th place, dropped back to 9th place in the second run.
Meillard prevents Norwegian triple victory
There were also World Cup points for the other two Swiss finalists. Luca Aerni delivered a countable result in this discipline for the third time in a row. The Bernese skier, who recently impressed in the giant slalom, improved by 8 places in the second run to 17th place. Tanguy Nef’s path was the other way round. The man from Geneva lost 7 positions in the decision and found himself in 22nd place in the final rankings.
There was one man who was no match for him on this day. Haugan took his second World Cup victory after the one in March, also in the slalom at the season finale in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, with a lead of 1.13 seconds. Two more Norwegians lined up behind Meillard. Atle Lie McGrath finished third ahead of Henrik Kristoffersen, who successfully defended his lead in the discipline rankings. His first pursuer is now Meillard.
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