Kristoffersen played the best of his career, but doesn’t think he’s running parallel in WC – VG

The Norwegian has clearly said what he thinks about the parallel races from the start, but is much more satisfied with Friday’s race. The International Ski Federation (FIS) has taken several measures to make it fairer and safer.

– Everyone knows my opinion on the parallel from before, so I don’t need to say anything about it. That “Pinten” and I became one and two shows that skiing has a lot to say, he says in a digital press conference with the Norwegian press after the race.

Exercise is also on the WC program as an individual exercise for the first time this year, but Kristoffersen doubts he will participate.

– Probably not. We’ll see, but I doubt it. It is not me who decides everything, but I doubt it very much, he says at the press conference.

After beating Filip Zubcic, Stefan Luitz, who was the fastest in qualifying, and Adrian Pertl, he faced Frenchman Alexis Pinturault in the final.

– I am happy. “Pinten” was driving fast, and he was very happy to take Luitz, because he had been driving fast all day. Happy for the podium and 80 points, is the summary for Kristoffersen.

Eleven hundredths separated the two rivals at the end.

Probably (the victory) will break out early on in the first round. So I think he was a little behind, says Kristoffersen when asked by VG.

With the best of his career since the opening race at Sölden and the tangent of the best of his career in a parallel race, Kristoffersen has started the season well. Now he ranks second overall in the World Cup, but so far he doesn’t sacrifice much thought for the overall cup.

– I see very little of that. You should be able to ask on March 20, because the last race will probably be March 21, he says with a smile, before adding:

– There is a lot of uncertainty. Suddenly, two speed races are canceled, and then there’s a lot of smoke for Kilde and Paris. Or two technical races are suddenly canceled, he says, pointing more to the situation of the Swedish women’s team at Levi last week, where the crown infection within the team led to all having to stop at both slalom races.

Kristoffersen had never won a side race at the World Cup before, with a second place finish from Alta Badia in 2017 the best result in twelve previous attempts. Pinturault won a side race in 2012, and the two riders prepared for a very exciting final.

In the first of the two rounds, it was the Frenchman who had the best start, finishing 16 hundredths ahead of the Norwegian.

Thus, the French had a small advantage before the decisive round. Kristoffersen delivered a good final round and buttoned up but had to be beaten by 11 hundredths at the end.

Lucas Braathen (number 18), Leif Kristian Nestvold-Haugen (number 21), Fabian Wilkens Solheim (number 34) and Rasmus Windingstad (number 35) did not qualify for the knockout rounds, while Timon Haugan (number 13), Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (number 14) and Atle Lie McGrath (number 16) were eliminated in the round of 16.