At the end of the 48th Alpine World Ski Championships in Saalbach, the men will compete in the slalom on Sunday. Swiss hopes are pinned on Loïc Meillard, who likes Saalbach.
16.02.2025, 05:00
16.02.2025, 15:04
SDA
"It's certainly good for your head when you know you can go fast on this slope. It helps to have confidence." Loïc Meillard is feeling confident ahead of Sunday's World Championship slalom. No wonder, after all, he has fond memories of the slope in the Glemmtal valley.
The good memories of Saalbach
In 2018, shortly before Christmas, Meillard climbed onto the World Cup podium for the first time - in Saalbach. He followed up his 2nd place in the giant slalom with 2nd place in the slalom just 24 hours later. He celebrated his last World Cup victory to date in the giant slalom at the season finale last winter - in Saalbach. At these World Championships, he and Franjo von Allmen took gold in the team combined and bronze in the giant slalom - in Saalbach.
Meillard is the biggest Swiss trump card for the last race of this World Championships. The 28-year-old is the most consistent slalom skier in the Swiss-Ski team. He has always finished in the top five. He finished on the podium in Levi, Val d'Isère, Alta Badia and Madonna di Campiglio. However, he was eliminated in the classics in Adelboden and Kitzbühel as well as in the last two World Championship slaloms.
The man from western Switzerland is not impressed by this. Instead, he says: "Another gold medal would be nice. In the end, I won't be the only one going all out."
Big circle of favorites
The Swiss have yet to win a slalom this season. Accordingly, skiers from other nations are the favorites. First and foremost the Norwegians, who are the most numerous medal candidates. Henrik Kristoffersen, Timon Haugan and Atle Lie McGrath are responsible for eleven podium places and four victories in nine races.
Only one of the Scandinavians could hold a candle to the Scandinavians in terms of victories: Clément Noël. The Olympic champion from France has four victories to his name and wants to finally win a World Championship medal after finishing fourth at his home World Championships two years ago.
The hosts from Austria also want to get into the medal fight. Just in time for the World Championships, Manuel Feller and Fabio Gstrein took the first podium places of the season at the night slalom in Schladming. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen took two of them. The Norwegian, competing for Brazil, would love to win the first medal at an Alpine World Ski Championships for the country from Sugar Loaf Mountain.
The Swiss in the lead
The other three Swiss athletes on the start line have not yet stood on the World Cup podium this season. However, Tanguy Nef and Marc Rochat secured silver and bronze in the team combined and have tasted blood. While Nef confirmed his good form, the medal was a relief for Rochat after a difficult season.
Daniel Yule faltered in the slalom of the team combined, but was doing well until his retirement. The lower temperatures should suit the man from Valais, as he prefers icy surfaces.
