2024-02-24 22:04:51
In the overall World Cup, Odermatt now has 1,702 points and can no longer be caught because Feller, the new runner-up, is 1,001 points behind with ten races to go. Odermatt celebrated his 35th World Cup victory, the 21st in his flagship discipline and his tenth in a row on RTL. The last time Odermatt didn’t win a giant slalom in the same place in the US state of California was in 2023 and has now been unbeaten for almost exactly a year – back then, the currently injured Marco Schwarz won.
Lukas Feurstein collected RTL points for the first time with starting number 56, the Vorarlberger came tenth. Stefan Brennsteiner, on the other hand, couldn’t cope with the conditions at all and was eliminated in the second round after finishing 21st. The loss was even more bitter for Joshua Sturm, who was sensationally in 15th place at halftime.
Patrick Feurstein (32nd/3.15), Dominik Raschner (43rd/3.87) and Kilian Pramstaller (56th/6.00) did not qualify for the second round. A slalom will take place on Sunday in Palisades Tahoe, where the Olympic ski competitions were held in 1960. ORF1 will broadcast the first round live from 6.45 p.m., the decision for the day’s victory will then take place at 10 p.m. (all CET).
“Today doesn’t feel like an overall victory”
Odermatt was happy about his triumph on ORF, but didn’t celebrate too much. “Extremely cool, I’m over the moon that it worked for the third time. Even if it doesn’t feel like an overall victory today. I think I worked that out at the start of the season. It’s a shame, of course, because of the many injuries that made the duel a little more decisive. But you have to do it first. The goal is to see this through to the end. I want to win every race, that’s the goal. Today it was extremely close at twelve hundredths,” said Odermatt, who was requested by Kristoffersen.
In Odermatt, the small balls in giant slalom and super-G are practically no longer available. Odermatt could also win the downhill ranking and become the third man after Pirmin Zurbriggen and Hermann Maier to win crystal four times in one season. Only the Swede Ingemar Stenmark (14 giant slaloms/1978–1979) and the Austrian Annemarie Moser-Pröll (eleven downhill runs/1972–1974) had longer winning streaks than ten races in a row.
Kristoffersen presents himself strongly
Kristoffersen, who put in a strong performance after a set-up change, was very happy with second place: “If you fight against Marco (Odermatt, note), then you have to take risks. Maybe I was too tight on the last long train. Then the speed was a bit off recently. But I fought. It worked great. Twelve hundredths isn’t much, we’ll build on that.”
Kristoffersen just behind Odermatt second
After winning the US RTL, high-flyer Odermatt (SUI) can no longer take away the overall World Cup. Kristoffersen (NOR) only narrowly had to admit defeat, Radamus (USA) came in a celebrated third place, and Haaser, the best ÖSV man, came in seventh.
Feller took off his proverbial hat to Odermatt: “It’s crazy what the dog is doing. Incredible.” The big ball for the Swiss was not unexpected, and the fact that he fixed it in this race “was not unexpected. And once again it makes you think. But I’m happy with my second round.” Feller doesn’t feel completely comfortable in the giant slalom. Especially in snow like Palisades Tahoe. Added to this are the strains of travel. “From that point of view, it was a race that I would be happy to take part in.”
Best RTL result for Haaser
Haaser, who took ninth place in Alta Badia 14 months ago, said of the best RTL result of his career: “In the second round there was quite a bit of trouble that could have gone wrong. With that in mind, I can be very, very happy with the result. It’s always nice when you’re the best Austrian, but it would be nicer if you were a little further ahead.”
Haaser takes seventh place
The Tyrolean achieved his best RTL position in his career.
Feurstein was happy about his first points in the RTL World Cup: “It’s a great feeling, that’s what I’ve worked for. It took a while because of injuries, but I want more of this feeling.”
The men’s Alpine World Cup in California is trying its luck in the USA for the second time this winter. On the first trip at the beginning of December, all three races – two downhills and a super-G – were canceled due to weather. Now it’s the turn of the technicians. There is also a slalom scheduled for this weekend, followed by two giant slaloms and a slalom a week later in Aspen.
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