ALPINE SKI WORLD CUP. SCHLADMING, Austria. Six World Cup races. Six different winners. It’s anyone’s guess who will win the men’s slalom at the upcoming Winter Olympics. Germany’s Linus Strasser won the final slalom before the Beijing Games on Tuesday, moving up from fifth after the opening leg to finish a slim 0.03 seconds ahead of Atle Lie McGrath of Norway in the prestigious event under the lights labeled “The Night Race” in Schladming, Austria.

Linus Strasser (GER)

The other slalom winners this season were: Clément Noël, Sebastian Foss-Solevåg, Johannes Strolz, Lucas Braathen and Dave Ryding.

“It’s super cool,” Strasser said. “I think out of the top 30 there are 15-20 guys who can always win and surprise. … It’s just good for the sport.”

Manuel Feller of Austria made a huge jump from 28th in the first leg to place third, 0.39 behind, after sitting out the slalom in Kitzbühel over the weekend because he was positive with COVID-19. Feller had the fastest second run.

Manuel Feller (AUT)

First-run leader Kristoffer Jakobsen went out three gates into his second trip down the steep Planai course. Likewise, Giuliano Razzoli, who stood second, straddled a gate midway down.

Atle Lie Mcgrath (NOR), Linus Strasser (GER) and Manuel Feller (AUT)

It’s the third win of Strasser’s career in nearly 100 World Cup races. He also won a slalom in Zagreb, Croatia, a year ago, and a city event in Stockholm five years ago.

While there were still four racers to go, Strasser immediately sensed he had done something special, holding up a finger in the No. 1 position after he crossed the line.

Linus Strasser (GER)

For McGrath, who had the No. 34 bib, it marked a return to form following a season-ending injury in Adelboden, Switzerland, last January — and his first podium result in slalom.

When Razzoli straddled and McGrath realized he had reached the podium, he knelt down and started crying.

Atle Lie Mcgrath (NOR), (c) ZOOM

“It’s probably the first time in my life I couldn’t stop crying,” McGrath said. “I will never forget this moment.”

Henrik Kristoffersen, the Norwegian who shares the record of four wins in Schladming with retired Austrian great Benjamin Raich, finished fourth, while Alex Vinatzer of Italy came fifth.

Both Ben Ritchie and Luke Winters scored points for the United States in Tuesday’s slalom under the lights in Schladming, Austria.

Ritchie entered the second run sitting in 11th, wearing bib 44 – the highest-ranked bib that qualified for the second run. Some trouble on the course led him to end the day in 23rd, the first World Cup points of his career. Ritchie, who started his first World Cup in 2019, had struggled to finish a World Cup slalom until Tuesday.

“I feel pretty good after a long season of DNF’s so far,” said Ritchie. “I was happy with the first run and second run I was skiing well, had some mistakes…but it’s nice to get some points under my belt and pick up a little momentum. But now that slalom January is over, I have to wait for a little while.”

Winters, representing the U.S. men’s slalom team at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, finished the day in 26th after edging his way into the flip. First run, Winters finished 30th.

Alexis Pinturault, the defending overall World Cup champion, went out midway through his first run.

Ryding finished 20th three days after he won in Kitzbühel to become the first British winner in the 55-year history of the World Cup.

Bulgarian No.1 Albert Popov finished 11th.

Albert Popov (BUL), (с) ZOOM

The Olympics open Feb. 4 and the slalom on Feb. 16 is the last individual event for men.

RESULTS

Atle Lie Mcgrath (NOR), Linus Strasser (GER) and Manuel Feller (AUT)

by AP and skiracing.com