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Alpine Skiing World Championships: Clément Noël and Alexis Pinturault can dream of a podium in slalom

2023-02-19T09:54:55.455Z


At the end of an incredibly dense first run, with 17 competitors in less than a second, France can dream of a medal in Courchevel.


Our special correspondent in Courchevel

What if history repeated itself?

Remember, a year ago at the Beijing Olympics, Clément Noël had posted the 6th fastest time in the first round before achieving a fantastic festival in the second to clinch the title.

This Sunday, at the end of these World Championships in France, the Vosgien occupies the… 8th place at the end of the first round of the slalom.

Not without getting a huge scare mid-slope by committing an inside fault that would have been fatal for 95% of skiers.

But not for the Frenchman who managed to regain his balance to chain between the stakes and finish his course 0”64 from the best time.

I was lucky to still be in contact

,” he analyzed lucidly.

"

Without this fault, it was a decent run, even if I didn't ski very well in the wall.

It's a shame because I would have liked to do much better than that.

Now, for the second round, the strategy will be clear: we will have to send everything.

»

Good news for France, Clément Noël will not be the only chance of a podium in the second run (start at 1:30 p.m.). For one of the last slaloms of his career, as he confided two days ago at the end of the giant, Alexis Pinturault was not unworthy, far from it. By finishing in 11th place but only 72 hundredths behind the leader, the skier from Courchevel can still dream of the podium: "For me, it

was went rather well

", he confided at the end of his performance. "

I lost time down on Feller but I had good feelings. The conditions are quite similar to those of the giant with a icy surface, with few grips. The slope is extreme at the start and after that it becomes easier.

"

Feller to save Austria

Now, if the two Blues can dream, they won't be the only ones before a second round which could turn out to be completely crazy.

Indeed, with the first 17 in less than a second – and a 16th named Henrik Kristoffersen moreover – everything seems possible, from a magnificent comeback to a status quo.

In the lead, Manuel Feller will have a lot to do to try to save Austria from Worlds without the slightest title, which has not happened to him since 1987. With his time of 46''93, Feller will start with a very small margin ahead of the Norwegian Lucas Braathen, the leader of the World Cup discipline just back after being operated on for appendicitis, and the surprising Greek AJ Ginnis, the two men pointing to only 13 hundredths.

A single breath.

And the

Source: lefigaro

All sports articles on 2023-02-19

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