Schladming Giant Slalom: Braathen Leads, Pinturault Qualifies

For the last giant before the Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, Lucas Braathen decided to pull out all the stops to dominate this first round of the night giant of Schladming. On a completely icy Austrian track which trapped many skiers (9 abandonments after 40 bibs), the Brazilian knew how to perfectly tighten the lines to beat the Swiss Loic Meillard (+ 0”06) and the German Fabian Gratz (+ 0”31). In the hard, Marco Odermatt took 7th place (+0”94), just ahead of the best Frenchman, Alban Elezi Cannaferina (8th, +1”03). Leo Anguenot (22nd), Guerlain Favre (28th) and Alexis Pinturault (29th) will also be in the second round.

Icy as ever, the Planai was a test for everyone this Tuesday. Leaving no respite, multiplying the traps (ground movement after 5 gates and entering the wall in particular), the Austrian track surprised many big names, like Henrik Kristoffersen (19th), but also Marco Odermatt, only 7th (+ 0”94) after a round where the Swiss paid for his lack of grip, being moved quite a bit by the movement of the ground at the top of the track. Traps that Lucas Pinheiro Braathen played perfectly.

Pinturault, for a tenth…

Starting with bib 3, the Brazilian will have given a lesson in commitment and adaptation to the track. Benefiting from good grip, Braathen continued to tighten the lines and despite a small mistake mid-slope, just before entering the final wall, the Brazilian took control of this giant from Schladming. But he will have a lot to do in second to seek success with Loic Meillard (+ 0”06) and especially the German surprise Fabian Gratz (+ 0”31), 3rd with his bib 19.

Mixed fortunes on the other hand for the French. Alban Elezi Cannaferina rode on his confidence from Kitzbuhel to achieve a very high-flying first round and place himself (8th, + 1”03) in the race for a first top 5. Small feat also from Guerlain Favre, who holds on to qualification (28th, + 2”91) despite his bib number 57. On the other hand, the other Tricolores missed their first act, like Leo Anguenot (23rd, + 2”50), never in the right tempo and hampered by a great lack of grip. Same problem for Alexis Pinturault, a real miracle (29th and last tied, + 2”96) for just a tenth but who can hope for a big comeback by starting from the front. Thibaut Favrot, Flavio Vitale, Loevan Parand and Diego Orecchioni are out.