ALPINE SKI WORLD CUP. VAL D’ISERE, France – The best day of Marcel Hirscher’s life was almost exactly a year ago, when he won his first World Cup in the Val d’Isere giant slalom. On Sunday, the 21-year-old Austrian orchestrated a real-life flashback, this time notching his first ever slalom victory.

Marcel Hirscher of Austria competes on his way to win an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom race, in Val D'Isere, France, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Armando Trovati)

In a harrowing second run that eliminated five racers and pushed others all over the course, Hirscher, who was fourth in the first run, hammered down the Bellevarde to win in a combined time of 1 minute, 44.70 seconds. A very healthy looking Benjamin Raich landed his first podium since January, 0.31 seconds back and, with his home crowd clamoring wildly, France’s Steve Missillier – blowing everyone away with the fastest second run time after finshing 25th in the first run – rounded out the podium, 0.56 seconds back.

Not only was it Missillier’s first podium on the World Cup but also a birthday present. The Frenchman couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend his 26th birthday.

Each of the podium finishers had something to smile about. Hirscher was thrilled that a slope such as the Bellevarde, which has given so many racers such a hard time, has shown him so much love.

“I can’t believe what happened today, especially in slalom, my first victory. It was awesome,” Hirscher said after the race, adding that the day was perhaps the second best of his life. “The first was the last victory here, same place, same time, one year ago in GS. It’s awesome to be back in Val d’Isere. I like it very much here and I think Val d’Isere likes me, so it’s a perfect place to be.”

And Hirscher isn’t the only Austrian the venue has on its list of friends. Last season, Raich’s slalom career was plagued with fourth-place finishes. He finished just off the podium in four straight races last January, then again at the Olympics. Before Sunday, his last slalom podium was nearly two years ago in Alta Badia.

“I knew before Levi I had good shape in slalom,” Raich said. “But up until now I have trained but I haven’t [stood] up on the slalom skis. It wasn’t easy today, especially with my back problems last week. I’m very happy with the second place and about my performance today.” (Watch this video: Hirscher and Raich talk about their performances and the race hill).

As for the fight between racers and the course, The Bellevarde began dealing its blows early Sunday, knocking 23 racers out in the first run. Much to the disappointment of the crowd, local favorites Jean-Baptiste Grange and Julien Lizeroux were among those eliminated.

It was Italian Manfred Moelgg who had the lead going into the second run, 0.05 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Silvan Zurbriggen 0.13 seconds ahead of Raich. In run No. 2 as the only Frenchman left standing, Missillier fired nearly a full second ahead – putting down by far the fastest second run time (52.02 seconds) and watched as, of the next 24 competitors, only two could surpass him.

Several racers laid it down for part of the second run, then lost their speed on the steeps. Five racers were eliminated and two only snuck into the results by valiant hikes up to the gates they missed.

Both Zurbriggen and Moelgg held back in the second run and ended up fourth and ninth, respectively, while Canadian Julien Cousineau shot into fifth place – tying his best career Cup result. Germany’s Felix Neureuther fought for sixth, The Czech Repubic’s Ondrej Bank earned his best ever World Cup slalom result in seventh and 18-year-old Swiss racer Justin Murisier not only earned his first ever World Cup points, but earned way more than he bargained for, finishing eighth.

“It was good,” Cousineau said. “Tough, but good. I really wanted to be on the podium. I told myself I’m not holding anything. I tried everything I could. Unfortunately I was really aggressive and did a bunch of mistakes, but I think that approach will get me on the podium shortly. I saw yesterday it’s not the prettiest skiing that’s going to win it, it’s the most efficient skiing, being aggressive and not giving up. You have to fight and work hard for what you want, especially on this hill.”

by Shauna Farnell
FISalpine.com
Sunday 12 December 2010

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