As in 2021, Alexis Pinturault won the bronze medal on Thursday in the super-G, after gold in the combined on Tuesday.
Two races, and two medals already for Alexis Pinturault. On the track of the Eclipse which saw him crowned combined world champion on Tuesday, the child from Courchevel continued with a new charm, bronze this time, on Thursday February 9.
Starting with bib number 8 between the two favorites Marco Odermatt (Switzerland) and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (Norway), the Frenchman negotiated his round perfectly. On the third step, he completes a podium dominated by the surprise of the day, James Crawford (Canada), and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (Norway).
Pinturault thrilled, Odermatt frustrated
At home, and once again carried by a public on fire at the bottom of the Braves wall, Alexis Pinturault thus won his eighth world medal. Already in bronze in 2021 on the super-G in Cortina d’Ampezzo, he retains his rank in a discipline that smiles more and more on him, him the specialist in technique.
“It was quite tight in front, with a very fast super-G, faster than the combined one on Tuesday. I had a very good run. I had fun, I tried to push as much as possible, to take all the risks. It was fun”he analyzed a few minutes after his round, while his third place was still not assured.
The Frenchman had just cooled off the noisy Swiss delegation, which was celebrating the (very) provisional first place of Marco Odermatt. But the best skier in the world did not have time to sit in the leader’s chair, immediately beaten by Alexis Pinturault, himself immediately ejected from this seat by Aleksander Aamodt Kilde.
We then thought the podium of the day was drawn, but that was without counting James Crawford. The Canadian outsider, following in the footsteps of Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, blew him gold by a mere hundredth. Favorite of the day, but also of the descent on Sunday, the Norwegian is therefore content with money. The big beat of the day remains Marco Odermatt, hit in the knee, and quite dejected at the end of the race: “It’s not the big day, it’s a bit sad when you’re aiming for the medal… But it wasn’t a very bad run.”