Defending champion: Marco Schwarz
After his title in 2021 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, the Austrian, winner of the small slalom globe in 2021, had been hampered by an ankle injury at the end of the year.
Since then, he has not yet regained his best level, even if he has regained some color this season, notably by finding the podium (3rd for the Schladming giant) more than two years after his last Top 3 on the circuit.
The 27-year-old skier above all amazed the whole circuit by taking 6th place in his first descent in January in Wengen (Switzerland), a feat on one of the classics on the circuit, illustrating perfect versatility to shine on the combined.
Favorite: Loic Meillard
A very talented skier, the 26-year-old from Valais has been living for several years in the shadow of his friend Marco Odermatt.
In his absence, Meillard may have taken a psychological step by finally winning a World Cup giant in Schladming two weeks ago.
An excellent slalomer and very comfortable in super-G (3rd at Bormio in December), the Swiss is a favorite but discovers this status, he who has not yet won in the big championship.
He had won two bronze medals in 2021 in Cortina (combined and parallel).
“
I may have a little revenge to take but I don't really have that in mind, I know that if I manage to show my skiing I will be fast
”, indicated the Swiss.
The Frenchman: Alexis Pinturault at home
In Courchevel, Alexis Pinturault is launching his Worlds in his resort with the discipline that made him king, world champion in 2019 in Are (Sweden).
Long favorite of each combined (10 World Cup victories in the discipline), the Frenchman has fallen back in the world hierarchy since his big crystal globe in 2021. In Beijing, he had fallen during the combined slalom and was injured , ending the diminished Olympics.
The leader of the Blues comes to the start in Courchevel after having been feverish in recent days.
“
Going for the podium would already be a great success in itself.
But you have to be realistic too, the goal for me is to give the best and we will take stock at the end
,” he said.
Alpine Skiing World Championships: all the stars not to be missed near Courchevel-Méribel
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The program :
The super-G round will take place from 11:00 a.m. on the so-called L'Éclipse track in Courchevel, before a second act, from 2:30 p.m., in slalom.
The number: 8
Like the number of skiers who opted out of the women's combined slalom on Monday, using the super-G run as a benchmark for Wednesday's event, like Switzerland's Lara Gut-Behrami and Norway's Ragnhild Mowinckel, yet tied for second at midday.
Dropouts that left only twenty skiers at the start of the slalom and hurt the credibility of a discipline removed from the world circuit for two years by the International Ski Federation (FIS), which pays for its policy at the Worlds.
The men's race should undergo the same scenario, as several competitors have already announced.
