Kilde wins alpine World Cup title after final men's races cancelled
The 27-year-old becomes fourth Norwegian in history to clinch overall crystal globe in men's skiing
Alpine Skiing
Norwegian skier Aleksander Aamodt Kilde has been awarded his first alpine overall title, after the men's World Cup campaign was cut short.
The 'attacking viking' racked up 1,202 points in the World Cup standings, ahead of France's Alexis Pinturault (1,148) and his compatriot Henrik Kristoffersen (1,041) in third, before the final World Cup races in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia were cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.
After the premature end of the women's season, the International Ski Federation (FIS) confirmed in a statement that the men's races also wouldn't be replaced, and that Kilde would be crowned the overall winner.
Following his Super G globe back in 2016, Kilde becomes the fourth Norwegian to secure the big globe after Olympic champion Kjetil André Aamodt (1994), Lasse Kjus (1996,1999), and Aksel Lund Svindal (2007, 2009).
The 27-year-old had a very consistent season, winning only one race in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, but finishing six times on the podium over the season.
"It's unreal, I have to say it. From another side, it's a shame that we couldn't fight it out to the end," Kilde told news agency NTB.
"It was an unique season for me, way above all my expectations. But it's all the same a surprise," he added.
Following in the footsteps of a legend
Kilde succeeded Marcel Hirscher, who won eight consecutive titles before announcing his retirement during the offseason.
The last man to clinch the globe before the Austrian was Ivica Kostelic in 2011.
Ahead of the season, Kilde sat down exclusively with the Olympic Channel.
The Norwegian didn't hide his ambitions and revealed some insights of his unconventional training routine.
Kranjska Gora was to host a giant slalom and a slalom during the upcoming weekend.
The races at the Slovenian resort, close to the Italian border, were supposed to end the ski season after officials had already cancelled the men's and women's World Cup finals in Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Summary of all the globe winners of the 2019/20 Season:
- Overall World Cup Winner: Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR)
- Slalom World Cup Winner: Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR)
- Giant Slalom World Cup Winner: Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR)
- Super G World Cup Winner: Mauro Caviezel (SUI)
- Downhill World Cup Winner: Beat Feuz (SUI)
- Alpine Combined World Cup Winner: Alexis Pinturault (FRA)
- Parallel World Cup Winner: Loic Meillard (SUI)
- Longines Rising Ski Star: Clement Noel (FRA)
- Overall Nations Cup Winner: Suisse