Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde has fixed an anomaly. In the running for the big crystal globe, he finally won his first victory of the season this Friday over the super-G in Saalbach (Austria) and took the opportunity to take the lead in the general classification at the same time. In a fight with Kilde but also his compatriot Henrik Kristoffersen for the supreme title, the Frenchman Alexis Pinturault did well to go to Austria to compete in a speed test, which is not his specialty: he finished 6th and scored 40 precious points in general. "It's pretty good," said the Courchevel skier to Dauphiné Libéré. It was not easy because because of the time they had to follow the descent line a lot, it was fairly straightforward for a super G. But I managed to do well. My bib (number 6) certainly helped me too, because the conditions marked a little more today. ”
Aamodt Kilde released from a weight
Finally ! Ultra-regular this season and surprise guest in the fight for the big crystal globe, the Grail of alpine skiing, Aamodt Kilde (27), has definitively established his status by winning the Saalbach race contested in weather conditions difficult. After the race was postponed for more than two hours due to the wind and snowfall, Kilde set off on a largely reduced course due to the wind and managed to win in 58''30 to get the 4th victory of his career. “It's a great feeling after waiting a long time today to run. I wanted so much a victory after these numerous second places (this season), finally I have it, no one will ask me the question any more, “rejoiced Kilde in press conference. He was ahead of Switzerland's Mauro Caviezel, 3rd Thursday of the descent, by 15 hundredths and the German Thomas Dressen, winner of the descent, by 31 hundredths.
After missing on the downhill (10th) on Thursday, Kilde this time struck a big blow by scoring 100 points and took control of the general classification from his compatriot Kristoffersen (at 79 points), absent at Saalbach. Pinturault is now 100 points behind, 13 races from the end of the season. The icing on the cake, Kilde has also taken the lead in the ranking of the super G globe and has a 51-point lead over Caviezel with three starts remaining in this discipline. The skiers then meet in Japan at Niigata Yuzawa Naeba for a giant and a slalom, more favorable to Kristoffersen and Pinturault, on February 22 and 23.
Read also
- World Cup general classification