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The sixth slalom of the season at Flachau brings the sixth winning face, with Norwegian Sebastian Foss Solevåg even a new one. The constancy in person is still Marco Schwarz.
Flachau / Kranjska Gora. The Ski World Cup has had a new winner since Sunday afternoon. Norwegian Sebastian Foss Solevåg won the second slalom at Flachau in a superior way ahead of Marco Schwarz (+0.76 seconds) and Alexis Pinturault (+0.95). For Foss Solevåg it was his first win in the seventh World Cup season, setting the best time in both rounds and clearly distancing himself from the competition. The Scandinavian only reached the top of the world in the preseason, after finishing fifth in the slalom discipline.
Foss Solevåg is the sixth winner in the sixth winter slalom after the triumphs of the houses Zen (Alta Badia), Kristoffersen (Madonna), Straßer (Zagreb), Schwarz (Adelboden) and Feller (Flachau). The universe in the forest of poles is therefore colorful and unpredictable, which was completely different not so long ago, during the reign of Marcel Hirscher. Winner predictions are no longer allowed, and yet there is one constant: Marco Schwarz.
Leader of a strong team
Carinthian regained the red jersey of the world slalom leader in the second Flachau race on Sunday, and no one else can match their season positions 3, 9, 3, 1, 3 and 2. “Consistency fits,” Schwarz stated dryly. . “Right now I feel very comfortable skiing, the equipment is great too.” The results are, of course, the product of “long and hard work.” Almost two years ago, Villach’s man had suffered a serious knee injury and had been out for months.
The 65-point lead over Manuel Feller in the Slalom World Cup is also due to the fact that his Tyrolean colleague ÖSV and the previous day’s winner only finished 17th after a serious mistake in the second round. “I drove very little with my head,” annoyed Feller, who a few days earlier had called the Hermann Maier route in Flachau a “fairy tale meadow” due to the lack of technical challenges. Feller can still be satisfied with the weekend, as it brought him his first World Cup victory on Saturday. And already at the next slalom, the Night Race in Schladming (January 26), the track will demand everything again.
In addition to black, there was a particularly positive second appearance this Sunday from the point of view of the ÖSV. Fabio Gstrein, even runner-up at halftime, finished fifth, just two tenths of a second off the podium. The Tyrolean’s best result so far was a seventh place a year ago at Adelboden. Immediately after the race, the 23-year-old was a bit disappointed, “but fifth place is good too, a great result. That gives you a mental boost that it works not just in practice but in racing as well. “
Thus, Gstrein has the best prospects to start in the World Cup slalom on February 21 in Cortina. With 127 points in the World Cup, he is currently number four in the ÖSV team behind staunch seeds Schwarz, Feller and Michael Matt, thanks to Marcel Hirscher’s world championship title two years ago at the World Cup in Aare, Austria can even provide five starters this year.
Currently, the fight for the fifth ticket is equivalent to a duel between Adrian Pertl (78 points) and Christian Hirschbühl (66 points). Before the World Cup, there will be three slaloms in Schladming and Chamonix (two races).
Bassino achieves a double
In the female category, Marta Bassino also won the second giant slalom in Kranjska Gora. Following her success the day before, the Italian was 0.66 seconds faster than the Swiss Michelle Gisin in her fourth victory of the season in this discipline. Third place went to Slovenian hometown hero Meta Hrovat (+0.73). Ramona Siebenhofer was twelfth as the best Austrian, Katharina Liensberger finished the race in 14. “Overall, I am very satisfied,” said Siebenhofer, who was seventh on Saturday.
In light of his starting position at RTL, “it was two good days. Yesterday very good, today good. Liensberger was happy with at least one step forward compared to the previous day (26), because I felt much more comfortable. It is extremely important for me to ski well ”. The women now move to Crans Montana, where two races and a Super-G are on Friday’s schedule. (cg)
RESULTS OF THE SKI WORLD CUP
Men’s Slalom in Flachau: 1. Foss Solevåg (NOR) 2. Marco Schwarz (AUT) +0.76 3. Alexis Pinturault (FRA) +0.95 Four. Loic Meillard (SUI) +1.14 5. Fabio Gstrein (AUT) +1.15.
Ladies RTL in Kranjska Gora: 1. Marta Bassino (ITA) 2. Michelle Gisin (SUI) +0.66 3. Goal Hrovat (SLO) +0.73 Four. Lara Gut-Behrami (SUI) +1.14 5. Tessa Worley (FRA) +1.25.
TAKE A LOOK
Black Frame Although the first winner Sebastian Foss-Solevaag had to admit defeat in the second slalom Flachau, he achieved his fifth podium this winter with second place. The Carinthian took the lead in the discipline world championship from Manuel Feller, who this time only finished 17th. The next slalom will take place in Schladming (January 26).
(“Die Presse”, print edition, January 18, 2021)
