Marco Odermatt defies difficult conditions to claim fourth straight Val d'Isere giant slalom win
The Swiss ace completed his first giant slalom of the 2024-25 season to win again in France with Patrick Feuerstein rising from 24th on the first run to second place.
Alpine Skiing
For the fourth year running, Marco Odermatt took victory in the Val d'Isere giant slalom on Saturday (14 December).
Switzerland's three-time reigning discipline crystal globe winner had failed to finish both opening giant slaloms in the new FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup season. But he secured his 38th World Cup triumph by just eight hundredths of a second from Patrick Feuerstein with another Austrian, Stefan Brennsteiner, in third.
After low visibility on the first run, the clouds descended again early in the second with a deteriorating course also making racing extremely difficult for the later skiers at the French resort.
Luca Aerni, who scraped through in 30th place, was quicker than anyone on the second run in the best conditions of the day. Only Feuerstein, in 24th at midway, was able to topple him from top spot before the top 10 made their final descents.
A succession of skiers lost time all the way down the course with last weekend's Beaver Creek giant slalom hero Thomas Tumler slipping from sixth to 26th overall.
Brennsteiner came desperately close to displacing teammate Feuerstein, but ended up 0.04 behind as he moved into second place. And after Loic Meillard and Henrik Kristoffersen failed to trouble the podium places, it was just Odermatt to go.
The 27-year-old lost most of his lead of 2.49 over Feuerstein from the first run, but had just enough in hand to claim his 24th World Cup giant slalom victory.
"Every victory is very important and cool but, for sure, after not finishing the last races I really wanted to do a good result today," Odermatt told FIS afterwards. "It was obviously one of the biggest fights we've ever had with Luca coming from 30th to fourth... it really shows how difficult it was for us."
When asked what the secret is to his success at Val d'Isere, the Swiss skier replied, "I really love this place and I love the atmosphere here when it gets dark and snowy, like winter should be. I really like the tough conditions."
Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who wore the red bib as the series leader at the start of the day, struggled on the first run and missed a gate on the second.
Kristoffersen's fifth place was enough for the Norwegian to take over at the top of the giant slalom standings and retain his overall World Cup lead.
Sölden victor Alexander Steen Olsen missed the race due to a recurrence of a knee injury. Marcel Hirscher was also absent having been ruled out for the rest of the season by a ruptured cruciate knee ligament.
There was bad news for the home fans as slalom Olympic champion Clement Noel, who has two wins out of two in his favourite discipline so far this season, fell heavily on the first run. Noel suffered two chipped teeth and an injured ankle as he crashed heavily into the safety netting, and is doubtful for Sunday's slalom.
Val d'Isere, 2024/25 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup: Results from men's giant slalom, 14 December 2024 (top 10):
- Marco Odermatt (SUI) 2:11.66
- Patrick Feuerstein (AUT) +0.08
- Stefan Brennsteiner (AUT) +0.12
- Luca Aerni (SUI) +0.23
- Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) +0.24
- Luca de Aliprandini (ITA) +0.39
- Joan Verdu (AND) +0.42
- Zan Kranjec (SLO) +0.45
- Loic Meillard (SUI) +0.57
- Filip Zubcic (CRO) +0.73