Swiss star Odermatt edges Zubčić to win World Cup giant slalom at Alta Badia
Marco Odermatt won another World Cup giant slalom Sunday in Italy at Alta Badia but by a more slender margin than the two-time defending overall World Cup champion is used to.
Odermatt heaved a sigh of relief as the Swiss star crossed the line with a combined time just 0.19 seconds faster than Filip Zubčić, who could only shake his head and smile wryly.
WHAT A RACE!! Amazing 🤩 @marcoodermatt wins his 3rd Giant Slalom in @skiworldcupaltabadia, 16th in World Cup! 👽<br>The podium is completed by @filipzubcic10 🇭🇷 and by <a href=”https://twitter.com/ZanKranjec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@zankranjec</a> 🇸🇮<br>Thank you for the show guys! 👏<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/fisalpine?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#fisalpine</a> <a href=”https://t.co/E76D7XF4O5″>pic.twitter.com/E76D7XF4O5</a>
—@fisalpine
Zubčić had seemed set for a first victory in nearly three years and yelled in joy after a perfect run down the Gran Risa saw the Croatian finish more than two seconds ahead of Zan Kranjec.
But Odermatt is almost unbeatable in his favoured discipline.
The Olympic, world and World Cup champion in giant slalom had led after the first run and also laid down a strong second one to claim his 14th victory in the past 19 World Cup races in the event.
WATCH | 2nd run of men’s World Cup giant slalom:
Watch run two of the men’s World Cup giant slalom race from Alta Badia, Italia.
The 26-year-old Odermatt, who had also won in Alta Badia in each of the past two years, won the only other giant slalom so far this season last week by almost one full second.
No one apart from Zubčić could even get close on Sunday, with Kranjec 2.26 seconds behind.
The season-opening giant slalom at Soelden, Austria had to be abandoned.
There is another giant slalom in Alta Badia on Monday in the last of a series of five races in five days.
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