The frustration is well and truly digested. “I miss trifles, not much, to get on this podium”, suggested Tessa Worley last week at the exit of the two giants of Courchevel (5th and 4th). The Frenchwoman won the Lienz event on Tuesday in Austria.
In the absence of the first of the general classification the American Mikaela Shiffrin, positive for Covid-19, and of the reigning world champion of giant Lara Gut-Behrami, the “chip of Grand-Bornand” won her first victory of the season. The fifteenth of his career as a World Cup giant. She is the third most victorious skier in the history of the discipline behind the Swiss Vreni Schneider (20) and the Austrian Annemarie Moser-Pröll (16).
She dreams of a medal at the Games
After setting the best time of the first round, Tessa Worley, 32, confirmed her great form this Tuesday at noon by maintaining a sufficient lead against the Slovakian Petra Vlhova (30 hundredths of a second) and the Swedish Sara Hector (38 hundredths).
Double world champion in the specialty (2013, 2017), Tessa Worley is gaining confidence before the Beijing Winter Olympics (February 4-20). Her big goal since she had not won Olympic medals in 2014 and 2018.
“I had fun and it ends with a victory”
And while waiting for the Chinese date, she is savoring her beautiful Austrian day. “I’m really, really happy with this race, with two very solid heats. In Courchevel, I felt that my ski was there but I had not managed to achieve the podium. There, I felt very good on my skis, in confidence, ”says the French giant.
“It pays. I am happy to be among those who ski fast giant at the moment. There is a very high density. I had fun and it ended with a victory. It’s perfect. The year is ending well, hoping that it will continue in 2022. “
Mikaela Shiffrin retains the lead in the general classification 93 points ahead of Italy’s Sofia Goggia, 12th on Tuesday.
