Adelboden – Marco Odermatt continues to glide like a giant, Alexis Pinturault on the podium

There is nothing to do. Even if the pressure to aim for a first success on Swiss soil did not shake Marco Odermatt, winner this Saturday of the mythical giant of Adelboden. Unplayable since the start of the season in the discipline, the Swiss managed a perfectly beautiful second round to beat the Austrian Manuel Feller (+ 0 “48) and afford his 4th giant of the season in five races. A domination which also allows him to widen the gap in the general of the World Cup.

Title holder Alexis Pinturault completed the podium (3rd, + 0 “54) and symbolizes the fine overall performance of the Tricolores, with Mathieu Faivre and Cyprien Sarrazin in the top 10.

After Sölden, Val d’Isère and Alta Badia, he will therefore have triumphed in Adelboden. At home, in Switzerland, where no Helvetian had won since 2008 and the success of Marc Berthod. But Marco Odermatt has been above the rest since the start of the season and the change of year has not changed the hierarchy into a giant. In the lead at the end of the first round, a situation which he will eventually be used to, the Swiss was far from having won the race. Blame it on the tight gaps between the first four but, above all, the layout of the second round, designed by the French coach.

Little giant’s globe almost guaranteed for Odermatt

Tricky at times, especially with these two road crossings, it offered a magnificent spectacle, but not all skiers took advantage of it. This was the case for example with Mathieu Faivre, guilty of a big indoor fault on the top. Despite this, the Frenchman offers his best result of the winter with a 5th place (+ 1”89). Manuel Feller had a great time there. On the attack as usual, sometimes at the limit but committed to 200%, the Austrian cut the Chuenisbärgli (best time of the 2nd round with 0”69 in advance!) To sign one of the best sleeves of his career. Enough to gain three places and even overtake Pinturault. But not to worry Odermatt. This season, it’s impossible.

Starting with more than a second of margin on Feller, the Swiss did not sign a perfect round, especially in the final wall where he sometimes seemed very close to going off the track, but his current confidence, his serenity, his skiing down but engaged was enough to afford a ninth career victory. The fourth of the winter in the discipline, in five giants. And he took second place from the only one he did not win… With 480 points out of a possible 500, 219 points ahead of his runner-up and only three giants remaining, Odermatt has almost already won the small globe of the specialty. . And with 376 points ahead of Kilde in the World Cup overall, he also has a hand on the big globe. And we are only at mid-season …

First top 10 for two years for Sarrazin

If it will still be necessary to wait to find a French victory, the Tricolores were at the level in Adelboden. Recovered from the catastrophic weekend of Alta Badia, Alexis Pinturault could not fight with Odermatt but the Courchevel skier was reassured with a beautiful 3rd place (+ 0”54), his second podium in the l ‘winter. There is no real regret to be had for the Habs, who have probably lacked a little confidence to go higher.

Similar observation, on his scale, for Thibaut Favrot, much more bloody in the second round to grab a nice 13th place (+ 3”92). But the great French performance came above all from Cyprien Sarrazin, excellent 10th (+ 2”88), his first top 10 for more than two years. Decidedly, the Blues like Adelboden.