LEVI, Finland: Austrian star Marcel Hirscher scraped into first place after a dramatic second run in Levi, finishing in 1:51.04 during the opener of this year’s Alpine ski world cup.
Hirscher, gunning for a record eighth consecutive crystal globe, ended 0.09 seconds ahead of Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen, who claimed silver in the giant slalom at this year’s Winter Olympics.
After a strong start Hirscher lost some time in the final sector of the descent but held on to clinch the win from Kristoffersen.But the defining moment in the race was a cruel last-minute twist in the fortunes of the French team. Both Clement Noel and Victor Muffat-Jeandet looked set for a podium finish before missing the same gate, metres from the finish line, within minutes of each other.
Both climbed back up and finished the course, ending in 26th and 25th place respectively.Noel, the 21-year-old rising star who placed fourth in slalom in Pyeongchang, ended his first run in third place in 54.65 seconds.
The win is the third at Levi for Austria’s titan of the slalom Hirscher, after 2013 and 2016, and a hoped-for start to the season where the 29-year-old will look to build on his seven consecutive world cup overall wins.
Sunday’s race marks the opening of this year’s men’s world cup season after the giant slalom at Soelden, Austria was cancelled due to heavy snowfall in October.Fears that the lack of snow in Levi this autumn could lead to the Finnish stage also being called off proved unfounded after organisers covered the course with snow stored from last spring.