In front of his audience and with confidence, Clément Noël could not resist the idea of starting the Val d’Isère giant this Saturday. Bib 31, the Habs saw this opportunity, certainly with the aim of having fun and relieving pressure before the big slalom event on Sunday. But instead of making his mark, Clément Noël lost much more than won on the Face de Bellevarde.
Victim of a heavy fall in the middle of the course due to an inside foul, Clément Noël did not cross the finish line, propelled into the net.
After long minutes of waiting at the side of the track, the public was able to breathe a sigh of relief when the local star returned to the finish area on his two legs. “He had a bad fall, that’s the game of skiing,” confided Alban Elezi Cannaferina, who took off a few bibs later. Clément Noël got up, his teeth bleeding at the foot of the Face, but a smile on his face. Uncertainty arose within the French clan regarding its participation in the Sunday slalom. “I hope it’s not too serious,” wondered Alexis Pinturault in the mixed zone. Teeth are aesthetic, they need to be replaced. It doesn’t hurt, once it’s replaced. It’s not like a damaged ankle or knee. »
“If it goes in the shoe, I will grit my teeth”
It was late in the afternoon that the winner of the first two slaloms of the season gave some news after taking exams: “I had my teeth done straight away. I still have pain in my right ankle. There is a small sprain on a ligament which is a bit annoying. I have nothing broken. There are no large effusions or major inflammation. »
The skier from Val d’Isère plans to be there this Sunday for the slalom (first run at 10 a.m.; second at 1 p.m.), if the sensations are good. “It requires a little rest so we will try to take care of ourselves and walk as little as possible. We’ll see if it fits in the shoe. If this happens, I will grit my teeth. Otherwise, I will rest and return as quickly as possible to Alta Badia (December 22-23, editor’s note). »
If we can think that Clément Noël will not be 100%, the Blues will be able to count on the second best Frenchman at the start of the season, Steven Amiez. Sixth and fourth in the first two meetings, logic would dictate that the skier from Pralognan gets on the podium quickly and why not in Val d’Isère. And Amiez is counting on it: “That’s the objective in all races, afterward I don’t put myself in a state of mind to say that it’s the podium or nothing. I want to do my best skiing over two runs, which I haven’t necessarily managed to do. So that’s the main objective. »
Belgium
