World Cup in downhill skiing – Alta Badia
Men’s giant slalom – 1.+2. wheel:
Austrian skier Marco Schwarz became the winner of the classic giant slalom of the World Cup in Alta Badia.
In the Italian resort, he was already leading after the 1st round and finally triumphed with a lead of 18 hundredths ahead of the Brazilian representative Lucas Pinheiro Braathen.
The podium was completed by another Austrian, Stefan Brennsteiner (+0.22), who took the lead in the interim evaluation of the discipline.
The Slovak representatives did not advance to the 2nd round, Andreas Žampa clocked 50th time (+3.62) in the 1st round, his brother Adam did not finish his race.
Schwarz achieved his first victory in the prestigious series after a long layoff due to injury.
He enjoyed the championship almost exactly after two years, before that he last triumphed on December 22, 2023 in the slalom in Madonna di Campiglio. He last won in the “turn” in February 2023 in Palisades Tahoe.
“This win means a lot to me. It’s been a long time since I last won a giant slalom. It’s great for me and the whole team, thanks to everyone who supported me.
Many people have helped me through difficult times. There were two goals that had already been broken. I tried to focus on my instinct and let go of the skis,” the 30-year-old Austrian, who achieved his seventh victory in the WC race, told FIS TV.
VIDEO: Marc Schwarz’s winning ride
At the end of 2023, he tore his anterior cruciate ligament and then took a break for almost a year.
The German Fabian Gratz made the biggest progress, thanks to the best second run he jumped from the 29th position after the 1st round to the final fifth place (+0.48).
The race did not go well for Marc Odermatt, the defender of the big globe and small slalom, the Swiss took sixth place (+0.82).
Despite this, he still has a significant lead at the top of the overall SP standings, with 454 points ahead of the second Schwarz.
The challenging track on the Gran Risa piste tested the skills of the competitors in both rounds.
Andreas Žampa with starting number 45 did not make it to the top thirty of the 2nd round, he was 99 hundredths away from advancing. Adam Žampa (No. 63) was eliminated in the 1st round after a mistake in the upper part of the track.
On Monday, a slalom with Slovakian Adam Nováček is also on the program in Alta Badia.
Current overall standings
After 14 of 38 races:
