The World Ski Championships in Saalbach are history, but the World Cup season is only now entering the hot phase. Which races are still on the program and what are Switzerland's chances? blue Sport provides you with an overview.
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- After the World Championships in Saalbach is before the decisive phase in the World Cup. The Swiss ski stars are already back in action this weekend.
- Which races are still on the program and what is the starting position in the discipline rankings? blue Sport provides you with the big overview.
These World Cup races are still on the program
The athletes still have a total of five race weekends ahead of them. The men will be stopping off in Crans-Montana this week, where a downhill and a super-G are on the agenda. After the recent results at the World Championships, there is a good chance that the Swiss festival will continue seamlessly in Valais.
In a week's time, the technicians will be in action in the giant slalom and slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. A week later, they will continue in Norway in Kvitfjell with two downhill races and a super-G and on March 15 and 16 with a giant slalom and a slalom in Hafjell.
The season finale with one race in each discipline will take place from March 20 to 27 in Sun Valley, Idaho, USA.
The women continue this weekend in Sestriere with two giant slaloms and a slalom. After that, they will also be traveling to the far north. Two downhill races and a super-G will be held in Kvitfjell in a week's time. A week later, the technicians will be challenged in the giant slalom and slalom in Åre.
In La Thuile, Italy, a downhill and a super-G are on the program on 14 and 15 March, before the women also compete for the last World Cup points in Sun Valley at the end of March.
The race for the overall World Cup
The men's overall World Cup goes through him: Marco Odermatt. The high-flyer of the last three seasons is also greeting from the top this year. His closest rival is Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen, who is 320 points behind.
In third place is the newly crowned slalom world champion Loïc Meillard. The man from Neuchâtel has 429 points fewer than his compatriot. He is followed by two more Norwegians, Atle Lie McGrath and Timon Haugan. So one thing is certain: The big ball will go to Switzerland or Norway.
In the women's event, the race for the big crystal globe is much more open. The in-form Federica Brignone, who has also triumphed in the downhill for the first time in her long career this season, has a 70-point lead over Lara Gut-Behrami. After a somewhat mixed World Championships in Saalbach, the Ticino native will be full of motivation for the final spurt in the World Cup.
With Camille Rast, Switzerland has a second trump card in the battle for the overall World Cup. The new slalom world champion is 192 points behind Brignone. She will have to do better in the giant slalom than she has so far this season, a third place in Killington is the only finish in the top 5. She will not be lacking in confidence after the World Championships.
The state of play in the men's speed disciplines
They were the big winners at the World Championships in Saalbach: the Swiss speed skiers. Franjo von Allmen triumphed in the downhill, with Alexis Monney joining him on the podium in third place. The hairstyles after the Bernese's success remain unforgettable. Marco Odermatt won gold in the super-G in outstanding fashion.
The Swiss are also top in the World Cup. Odermatt leads the rankings in both disciplines. In the downhill, team-mate von Allmen of all people could challenge him for the small crystal globe; he is 93 points behind. Miha Hrobat from Slovenia, the newcomer to the downhill season, completes the interim podium.
Odermatt has a 119-point lead over Vincent Kriechmayr in the super-G. A lot will have to happen in the last three races of the season for the Austrian to overtake Odermatt. Stefan Rogentin and Fredrik Möller are in third place with 220 points each.
The standings in the women's speed disciplines
In the women's race, it would be a surprise if the downhill crystal globe did not go to Italy. Federica Brignone, who celebrated her first ever downhill victories in St. Anton and Garmisch, leads ahead of her compatriot Sofia Goggia. 39 points separate the two with four races to go.
They are followed by Cornelia Hütter and Lara Gut-Behrami, who would need to improve their performance to make it to the top. The Austrian won in Beaver Creek, but didn't make it into the top 5 after that. The Ticino native, on the other hand, is still missing a win this season.
But Gut-Behrami has a good laugh in the super-G. The 33-year-old has finished in the top 5 in each of the five races so far and won the last super-G in Garmisch. She is in first place in the rankings, 75 points ahead of Brignone. It would be her sixth small crystal globe in this discipline - making her the sole record holder across all genders. Sofia Goggia completes the podium.
Who will take the men's giant slalom and slalom globes?
In the giant slalom, a Swiss is also the measure of all things: Marco Odermatt, who else? It didn't quite work out at the World Championships, but he was still delighted with the medals won by Thomas Tumler and Loïc Meillard.
At the start of the season, the man from Nidwalden was still struggling, dropping out of the first two races. He then hit back with three victories and a third place. He now has a 71-point lead over Alexander Steen Olsen. Henrik Kristoffersen is only ten points behind his compatriot in third place.
The slalom men's race is not only tight in the poles, but also in the discipline ranking. Henrik Kristoffersen is slightly ahead of Frenchman Clément Noël. The Norwegian is a measly three points ahead.
He is followed by the new slalom king: Loïc Meillard. The first Swiss slalom world champion in 75 years has yet to win a World Cup this season, but with his new-found confidence it could still come. Timon Haugan and Atle Lie McGrath are not far off the top and could still have a say in the last three races.
Who will take the women's giant slalom and slalom globes?
In the women's giant slalom, the battle for the small crystal globe is extremely exciting. Alice Robinson from New Zealand leads by four points ahead of Sara Hector from Sweden, both of whom have already won this season.
Brignone is in third place, 100 points behind Robinson. The superior world champion from Saalbach is in good form, so a race to catch up is not unlikely. Two points behind her is Lara Colturi from Albania, who has been promoted this season. Lara Gut-Behrami is the best Swiss racer in this discipline, but in eighth place she will not be able to compete for the crystal globe.
The new star in the slalom sky leads the rankings. Camille Rast has made a huge leap forward this season. The 25-year-old has not only crowned this with her first World Cup victories, but also with the World Championship title in Saalbach.
Zrinka Ljutic has also improved this season; the 21-year-old is 41 points behind the Swiss in the discipline rankings. Wendy Holdener can also keep up with the two young athletes. She is 105 points behind her compatriot and could still be a threat to her.
