Marco Odermatt is a two-time winner of Kranjska Gora 2023, officially winning the big crystal globe for the World Cup victory for the second time in a row. Žan Kranjec achieved his best ranking in Kranjska Gora with 4th place.
The Slovenian did not get the much-desired home podium, but unlike Saturday, he advanced in the final. Žan Kranjec successfully attacked from 5th place after the first run and took the lead at the finish line to the enthusiasm of many fans in Podkoren. But behind him at the start were the four fastest from the first race.
The Norwegian Lucas Braathen was one hundredth behind, but there was no doubt about the second Norwegian. Last year’s two-time winner of Kranjska Gora Henrik Kristoffersen with the best time of the final, he overtook the Slovenian by as much as 1.3 seconds. Alexis Pinturault he maintained his advantage until the final slope, but in the end the Frenchman was too short by 38 hundredths.
But there wasn’t much doubt about the winner: Marco Odermatt despite a minor mistake, he stepped up his driving and on the slope achieved his second victory in Kranjska Gora in 24 hours.
Končni vrstni red: 1. M. ODERMATT ŠVI 2:20,91 2. H. KRISTOFFERSEN NOR 2:21,23 3. A. PINTURAULT FRA 2:21,61 4. Ž. KRANJEC SLO 2:22,53 5. L. BRAATHEN NOR 2:22,54 6. F. DELLA VITE ITA 2:22,74 7. M. SCHWARZ AVT 2:22,80 8. L. DE ALIPRANDINI ITA 2:23,14 9. F. ZUBČIĆ HRV 2:23,29 10. R. WINDINGSTAD NOR 2:23,95 11. L. MEILLARD ŠVI 2:24,11 12. G. CAVIEZEL ŠVI 2:24,15 13. R. HAASER AVT 2:24,48 14. S. MAAS BEL 2:24,86 15. H. ZINGERLE ITA 2:24,70 Odstop: Hadalin, Brennsteiner, Steen Olsen, Borsotti, Gartner.
With the eleventh victory of the winter 2022/23, the Swiss officially became unattainable for Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, who missed the match in Slovenia. Odermatt became the winner of the World Cup for the second time in a row, for which he will receive the big crystal globe next Sunday at the end of the final in Soldo, Androa. For good measure, the 25-year-old Swiss with his 6th victory of the season also reached the small crystal globe for the giant slalom total.
Slower installation on “dead snow”
With number 1, he opened the second Kranjska Gora giant slalom Alexis Pinturault, who was behind only Marc Odermatt on Saturday. The Frenchman took advantage of the best conditions, but what if the Swiss was again the best in the lower part and took the lead by 28 hundredths.
Žan Kranjec he didn’t start the fastest with number 7, but he skied the second and third sections as the leading two, losing almost half a second due to a mistake on the finish slope. Upon arrival at the finish line, Kranjec took 5th place with a gap of 94 hundredths behind Odermatt.
On the demanding and slower layout than the first giant slalom, no one overtook the 30-year-old from Bukovica pri Vodice.
Kranjec pointed out the different snow conditions in Podkoren after the first ride: “The snow is a little less responsive, you can definitely tell that there was already quite a bit of salt on the track, that the track is essentially the same, that a large crystal has appeared and that the so-called dead snow has formed.”
On Saturday, Kranjec was second after the first run, but in the end he equaled his best ranking on the Podkoren track with 5th place. The best Slovenian alpine skier defends overall third place in the overall discipline.
Hadalin after resignation: “Turbulent season”
Out of 62 skiers, only 40 competitors completed the first run. Stefan Hadalin, who set the fastest time in the final on Saturday, this time resigned before the first intermediate time. With Saturday’s 17th place and Sunday’s retirement, the 27-year-old Vrhničan ends this year’s World Cup season.
“I knew it would be a completely different race, given the snow conditions, and in those snow conditions, I don’t have the optimal settings to suit me on more aggressive snow,” Hadalin was dissatisfied after his resignation. “Behind me is a turbulent season, many ups and downs. We will have to think about what and how to proceed. Competitive skiing is very demanding, and we will see,” Hadalin looked ahead, but also confirmed that he will still compete in FIS competitions, especially in slalom, in order to improve his starting point for the coming season.
A third Slovenian also resigned Ange Gartnerwho entered as the penultimate with number 61 and made a fatal mistake in the second section.
Crystal globe officially in the hands of Odermatt?
Marco Odermatt with 14 points, he will officially confirm his second consecutive victory in the World Cup total, and at the same time he can also win the small crystal globe in the giant slalom total. This also depends on the performance of Henrik Kristoffersen, who is 140 points behind.
ALPINE SKIING – WORLD CUP (M)
KRANJSKA GORA, Sunday giant slalom
Second ride at 12:30 p.m.:
After the first ride:
1. M. ODERMATT ŠVI 1:12,16 2. A. PINTURAULT FRA +0,28 3. H. KRISTOFFERSEN NOR 0,47 4. L. BRAATHEN NOR 0,82 5. Ž. KRANJEC SLO 0,94 6. F. DELLA VITE ITA 1,11 7 L. DE ALIPRANDINI ITA 1,66 . M. SCHWARZ AVT 1,66 9. F. ZUBČIĆ HRV 2,04 10. G. CAVIEZEL ŠVI 2,21 11. R. RADAMUS ZDA 2,38 12. R. WINDINGSTAD NOR 2,60 13. H. ZINGERLE ITA 2,95 18. L. MEILLARD ŠVI 3,28 Odstop: Hadalin, Brennsteiner, Steen Olsen, Borsotti, Gartner.
Source: Rtvslo
