Keystone
Marco Odermatt wins his first World Cup Crystal Globe. Thanks to his second place behind the Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen, the man from Nidwalden is the winner of the discipline classification in the first of two giant slaloms in Kranjska Gora.
Before the last two giant slaloms of this World Cup winter, Odermatt is 207 points ahead of Kristoffersen and can no longer be pushed off the top. He is the first Swiss in 13 years and Didier Cuche to receive the glass trophy in the basic alpine discipline.
“A very nice moment,” said the 24-year-old to SRF following the race. “Of course I knew (even before the race) that things were looking very good for the giant slalom ball, but I was still nervous today.”
Will Odermatt already secure the overall World Cup on Sunday?
He’s sure of the small ball, and on Sunday Odermatt might also eliminate the last doubts regarding the big ball. In the overall standings he is 269 points ahead of his closest pursuer, Aleksander Kilde. 8th place in the second giant slalom in Kranjska Gora on Sunday is enough for him to bring regarding the decision in this fight before the season finale next week in Courchevel/Méribel. The 32 points would be enough to expand the margin on the Norwegian to an unassailable level.
Because Kilde is not at the start of the giant slaloms this weekend in Slovenia and, like the man from Central Switzerland, does not compete in slaloms, he might at best score 300 points at the final event in France. Then it wouldn’t be enough for him even if Odermatt went empty-handed three times in France and didn’t deliver anything countable in the downhill, super-G and giant slalom.
Keystone
Meillard makes up 14 places and finishes fourth
Kristoffersen came to his second giant slalom victory this season following December in Alta Badia. Odermatt, who advanced from 7th to 2nd place in the second round, shared this position with Kristoffersen’s compatriot Lucas Braathen.
The second best Swiss on Saturday in Kranjska Gora was Loïc Meillard in fourth. With the best time in the second run, the man from Neuchâtel advanced from 18th to 4th place. Meillard, who has never placed so well in a World Cup giant slalom this winter, missed a podium finish by 36 hundredths. Gino Caviezel achieved his second best result of the season with 8th place. Justin Murisier rounded off the successful Swiss performance with 12th place.
