(Garmisch-Partenkirchen) Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen took control of the slalom in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany) after the first run, on a difficult track to ski due to spring temperatures, late Wednesday afternoon.
First to start, Kristoffersen took advantage of his bib to achieve the best time of the first round on the Gudiberg in 52 sec 84 and widen the gap on his first pursuers.
He beat the German Linus Strasser by 71/100e and the French Clément Noël, Olympic champion of the specialty, of 93/100e. All the other skiers are more than a second behind the Norwegian.
“It’s not so bad, because I need to get to the bottom of the sleeves. I need to not be 160% and take all the risks. I try to make clean, solid runs,” commented the 25-year-old Frenchman, who made a few errors at the top of the course and was more comfortable at the bottom.
“The conditions are very difficult. Absolutely everything is to be played in the second round, it will be a big fight, I think there will be big comebacks, everything remains to be done, ”he added.
Noël remains on two eliminations in the first two races between tight pickets in Val d’Isère in mid-December and in Madonna di Campiglio (Italy) ten days later.
Round two is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.