Marco Odermatt is on his way to another podium finish in the World Cup Super-G in Val Gardena. He is in 3rd place in the intermediate rankings.
20.12.2024, 13:09
20.12.2024, 13:13
SDA
Val Gardena often means changing conditions during the course of the race and correspondingly surprising rankings. This is also the case this time. The Italian Mattia Casse, who could win his first World Cup, leads the rankings after 30 racers by one hundredth of a second ahead of Jared Goldberg. Goldberg, who started with the number 26, took advantage of the improved conditions to score an exploit that would mean his first podium finish in the World Cup.
Unexpected things are also possible in Val Gardena/Gröden because the Saslong does not offer the kind of terrain that suits technically experienced skiers. The terrain does not allow the course to be set with passages where athletes like Odermatt could make the difference thanks to their strengths. The task can largely be completed in a crouched position. The snow that fell on Friday night probably changed the conditions compared to the two downhill training sessions, but made the task even easier.
Odermatt, winner of the first super-G of this World Cup winter two weeks ago in completely different conditions in Beaver Creek, Colorado, has never finished first on the 1970 World Cup course, but this third place would be his fourth top-three finish at this venue. Last year he also came third in the first of two downhill races and in the super-G, and two years ago he came second in the first downhill race.
Odermatt lost 43 hundredths to Casse. The Italian had previously finished third three times, the first time two years ago with third place in the second downhill in Val Gardena. Behind Odermatt was the no less surprising Fredrik Möller. The Norwegian had already hinted at his abilities with 4th place in the super-G in Beaver Creek.
Second best Swiss is Stefan Rogentin. The man from Graubünden shares 5th place with Canadian Cameron Alexander, while Justin Murisier, Alexis Monney and Franjo von Allmen are 14th, 16th and 17th respectively in the intermediate rankings. Cyprien Sarrazin did not finish. The Frenchman missed a gate.
