Winner of the World Cup for the first time in March, the French skier begins Sunday in Sölden (Austria), a new season, in sight of the Olympic Games in February.
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As is the tradition, Sölden, Austria, the best skiers in the world have made an appointment, Sunday 24 October, for the resumption of the World Cup, with a giant slalom (first handle 10 hours). In this “season” Olympic – Winter Games will take place in China in early February 2022 – This first appointment will allow everyone to assess the gliding competition. And if there is a well that will be scrutinized closely in the starting gate, the French Alexis Pinturault.
At 30, the skier from Courchevel has just completed the best season of his career. In March, after the giant slalom in Lenzerheide (Switzerland), he won the big crystal globe, rewarding the overall winner of the World Cup. Only three other French had achieved this feat in the past: Jean-Claude Killy in 1967 and 1968; Michèle Jacot in 1970; and Luc Alphand in 1997.
With this title, he was for many years, Alexis Pinturault ensures tackle the new season “more calmly, with more lightness.” “I no longer have the obligation to myself to go for the big globe,” he confided, in late September. “When he won the famous giant in Lenzerheide, we were all very relieved. A life goal was achieved,” adds Fabien Saguez, the national technical director.
But having won the top World Skiing also has a consequence: Alexis Pinturault changed status. Outsider during the whole period of domination of the Austrian Marcel Hirscher (winner of the big crystal globe from 2012 to 2019, the year of his retirement), it is now the favorite. He will have to assume, especially against the competition of young Swiss Marco Odermatt (24), ranked second overall last season.
“I would not say that its status has changed since last year, people knew the environment for ten years its potential,” however, plays the French skier Victor Muffat-Jeandet. This change in size does not worry either Lizeroux. “This is truly the most versatile skier on the circuit. It is able to ski fast in all disciplines and in almost all conditions, explains the second in the World Cup slalom in 2010 and retired from the slopes since January. he reached his goal. he just needs to continue on its course of action, and the result will be beautiful. “
” This really is an alien! “
The result is the new season and the quest for victories in the World Cup, small globes specialties and a new big crystal globe. But above all, Alexis Pinturault going to storm the last missing title to his resume: an Olympic title. “It will be a very important goal. Everyone knows that the Games are”, says he. In two appearances, Alexis Pinturault never managed to get on the top step of the podium at the Olympics: it has gleaned money on the handset in 2018, and bronze in giant slalom twice, in 2014 and 2018.
In Beijing, he will be the leader of a delegation tricolor who will present serious arguments, just like Mathieu Faivre – world champion in giant slalom and parallel – Thibaut Favrot Clement Christmas or Victor Muffat-Jeandet. And while Alexis Pinturault been training for two years in a single structure, should be active in the whole of the French delegation.
“It’s great inspiration to rub a skier as Alexis says Victor Muffat-Jeandet, who shared with him the podium combined in 2018 (third). What he did to win the big globe, we does not do is well aware, but this is exceptional. it really is an alien! “
An alien, or “beast”, as prefer to call Lizeroux and the rest of the group France, which is waiting to be let loose in the arena of Sölden, where it has already established 2016 and 2019. Favorite designated every time he will don skis this season, he will not have to move mountains to win. Just keep hitting them at full speed.