Marco Odermatt has no rival in giant slalom: the Swiss, already winner at Alta Badia (Italy) on Sunday, achieved the double in the Italian resort of the Dolomites on Monday. In the lead after the first round, the 2023 world and 2022 Olympic giant slalom champion relegated the Austrian Marco Schwarz, 2nd, to 1 sec 05/100th, and the Slovenian Zan Kranjek, 3rd, to 1 sec 22/100th.
He now has 27 World Cup victories to his name, including three this winter. At 26, Odermatt collects victories, trophies and other records. With a sixth consecutive victory in giant, he overtook the legends Marcel Hirscher and Ingemar Stenmark who had stopped at five consecutive victories in the discipline. With a fourth success on the Gran Risa track, he joined Italian icon Alberto Tomba, winner four times at Alta Badia.
“I had two incredible days at Alta Badia, it’s fantastic to be part of skiing history,” rejoiced the two-time winner of the general classification of the World Cup.
“I had taken a nice advantage after the first round (87/100th over the Croatian Filip Zubcic, ultimately 4th, Editor’s note), but I controlled my first six-seven turns too much in the second round, I had to fight me to the end,” he insisted.
After a start to winter disrupted by cancellations (Zermatt/Cervinia, Beaver Creek) due to weather conditions, the season is now launched, with one skier above the rest, Odermatt. The Swiss took advantage of the two Italian stages to take control of the general classification and take off.
Third in the first descent and the super-G of Val Gardena, 7th in the second descent on the Saslong on Saturday and double winner at Alta Badia, he now has a 92-point lead over Schwarz who, like him, competed in five races in five days.
“I’m happy with this week, insisted the Austrian, 4th and 2nd in Alta Badia, 40th and 9th in downhill, 5th in super-G in Val Gardena. “It is still too early to reduce the race for the world No.1 to a duel between me and Marco,” he nevertheless warned.
After a day of rest, the big names on the circuit will head to Madonna di Campiglio, still in Italy, for a slalom on Friday. Frenchman Alexis Pinturault, who wants to focus on speed disciplines this winter, ranked 5th, at 2 sec 37/100th.
“A little sick, I wasn’t in the best conditions, but I’m happy with my two giants,” assured the leader of the French team who will participate in the downhill and super-G in Bormio on 28 and December 29.
