The surprise standout of the World Cup slalom season clinched his second victory on Sunday, further solidifying his growing reputation ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. Paco Rassat produced the quickest time in the second run, elevating himself from fourth place to first with a time of 1 minute 55.22 seconds in Adelboden, Switzerland. This performance pushed two Norwegian skiers off the podium, including Atle Lie McGrath who trailed by 0.18 seconds, and first-run leader Henrik Kristoffersen who finished third, 0.20 seconds behind Rassat.
A 27-year-old Frenchman, Rassat had previously achieved a career-best ninth-place finish in World Cup races before the current season. With two wins, a third-place finish, and two sixth-place finishes this season, Rassat is now viewed as a strong contender for an Olympic medal in Italy, with the men’s slalom event scheduled for February 16 in Bormio.
Reflecting on his success, Rassat expressed his disbelief at winning on the challenging Adelboden course, describing his season as “a magnificent surprise.” Furthermore, Rassat has taken the lead in the World Cup slalom standings for the season, surpassing his French teammate Clement Noel, the defending Olympic champion, who finished tied for eighth in the latest race.
On the other hand, McGrath, a U.S.-born skier, secured the runner-up position in the Adelboden slalom for the third time in four years. McGrath, whose father competed for the U.S. in the 1988 Calgary Olympics, described the slope as challenging and praised the enthusiastic crowd.
In a touching moment, a minute of silence was observed before the race in memory of the victims of a fatal fire in a bar in Crans-Montana on New Year’s Day, near the venue of the upcoming World Cup races. The cancellation of the women’s super-G race in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria, due to unfavorable weather conditions deprived U.S. star Lindsey Vonn of another opportunity for victory. The cancellation also impacts the Olympic preparations, with only two women’s super-G races remaining before the Winter Olympics commence on February 6.
The upcoming women’s World Cup race is a night slalom scheduled for Tuesday in Flachau, Austria.
