ADELBODEN – Marco Odermatt led his remarkable run in giant slalom to another World Cup win on Saturday at his home country’s classic, which was held in unseasonably warm weather.
In the fading light, Olympic champion Odermatt secured his lead from the first run and even extended it to 0.73 seconds ahead of Henrik Kristoffersen with the best time in the second leg.
Kristoffersen bowed respectfully as he greeted Odermatt in the finish area and gave him a thumbs-up. Odermatt’s teammate Loïc Meillard was third, 1.66 behind.
A fourth win in five World Cup giant slaloms since October for the 25-year-old Swiss was also his 14th consecutive podium finish in his outstanding discipline in the last two seasons. This run includes his Gold medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing last February.
Odermatt’s 17th career World Cup win was his 11th in giant slalom. The defending champion thus further extended his lead in the overall World Cup rankings.
The home favorite was roared to the finish by over 20,000 sold-out spectators, most of whom had gathered around the steep final slope of the legendary Chuenisbärgli course.
Several weeks of warm and snow-free winter weather in Central Europe created conditions that the Swiss broadcaster RTS described as “almost a miracle” that the organizers were able to hold a race.
The racers descended a white ribbon of soft, sun-drenched artificial snow bordered by lush green fields that are cow pastures in summer.
The temperature was just above freezing on Saturday morning for heat one, rising to around 7 degrees Celsius (45 Fahrenheit) when stage two started at 1:30 p.m. local time.
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