He had a boulevard in front of him to attack the second round.
Friday morning he had, it is true, put half a second to all his rivals.
So yes, the world title was waiting for him at the bottom of the track in Cortina d'Ampezzo (Italy).
Alexis Pinturault was to be the first French crowned world champion in giant for more than half a century and a certain Jean-Claude Killy.
How could this title escape the best giantist of winter?
Since March 17, 2018, he had not experienced any retirement in a giant slalom and remained in a series of 22 races in a row without going off the track.
It was just forgetting the charm of the giant.
In its slope paved with white gold, there are obstacles and doors that must not be missed.
He missed one, the fifth.
And hop!
His dream of world-wide tire flew away like a snap of his fingers, without having the time to say phew: "I had clearly seen that this fifth gate was a problem, regrets the Courchevel skier masked at the finish as if to hide his disappointment.
I told myself that I was taking the right direction.
And then suddenly, I get hit, it takes my shoe and then there it is, it's over.
The light didn't help, I ended up in the wrong hole.
I did not have time to react to try to correct so sometimes it happens but not there.
"
The slalom, his last chance
Second and already dispossessed of his world combined title on Monday, Alexis Pinturault is not having a very good Italian week.
He is not on the giant's podium and sees another Frenchman, Mathieu Faivre, steal his moment of glory.
"At least I tried," consoles Pinturault, also a Super-G bronze medalist.
It did not work.
Of course, I am disappointed not to be on the podium, to be out.
We will have to take a little time to turn the page.
"Not too much because on Sunday, he will have one last chance to adorn himself with gold with the slalom:" We will concentrate as much as possible.
It's another race, a race where I am an outsider.
There are possibilities, but there are a lot of people in this discipline.
"