The directors of the French Ski Federation have a new application to consider. The day after the announcement of the allocation of an additional quota for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, the giant slalom of Schladming was to offer new elements to nourish the reflection of the executives of the French team. Who to choose for this new sesame? Alexis Pinturault, Thibaut Favrot or another? Like Alban Elezi Cannaferina, author of his first World Cup podium this Tuesday, for example.
The young Lyonnais impressed, with the best time in the second run ahead of Loïc Meillard, the final winner. After his 14th and 12th places in super-G and downhill in Kitzbühel, the 22-year-old skier climbed onto the podium for the first time in Schladming. After a first round concluded with the 8th time, he surprised everyone to climb onto the third step. A crazy giant slalom, released at the best possible time, when he didn’t have much to lose.
If the choice of the FFS will not be announced until Wednesday evening, neither of the two favorites has made an impression. Seventeenth athlete to start, Favrot quickly left the track and potentially out of the equation. “It’s undoubtedly an Olympic dream that’s gone for me today,” he said in the mixed zone, with tears in his eyes.
No points for “Pintu”
This was without taking into account the poor performance of “Pintu”, who was unable to do so. A priori deprived of his last Olympics at the moment of the announcement of the skiers selected for the Olympic deadline, the winner of the 2021 World Cup was entitled to a second chance.
On reprieve, he came close to elimination in the first round. His time – almost 3 seconds behind Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, 2nd at the finish – placed him at the bottom of the pile for a long time. However, many competitors suffered from a tricky track and the 34-year-old Frenchman qualified at the last minute for the second round, two places from the exit (29th).
However, the Savoyard missed the opportunity to dispel doubt and become obvious in the eyes of the French management. A remarkable performance less than two weeks before the Games would have strengthened a candidacy mainly supported by its CV and its past exploits. Finally, he re-mobilized for the second round, without managing to climb higher than 26th place.
Better than Favrot, but largely insufficient to close the debate. Beyond the giants, Victor Muffat-Jeandet, another forgotten from the initial list, will compete in the slalom on Wednesday. He will have a lot to do to dislodge Elezi Cannaferina, the new favorite.
