While the top slalom riders are preparing for the second round in Val d’Isère, Linus Straßer’s working day has long since ended. “La Face de Bellevarde” has struck again. The selective slopes in Val d’Isère and Straßer have never worked before. He has already missed the second round seven times, including this Sunday.
“Before the race I had very low expectations, but high motivation. With my new material it was a bit of a hope that the face would be beaten this time, but the first round goes to the face again“, he explained after his run in the Sportschau interview.
Straßer didn’t start the race well, but caught himself in the middle section and was on his way to a solid starting position for the second round. But shortly before the end, the hairpin was fatal for the 33-year-old. He saved himself from a threader with an artistic masterpiece, but accumulated too much behind. In 38th place, he missed the second round.
Confident despite the “final opponent”.
“For me, the face really remains my final opponent. I always think to myself when I’m here and look at the slope, it’s actually a cool slope. But somehow it doesn’t want to“, summed up Straßer himself. Even if the first top result of the season fails to materialize and he doesn’t collect any points, the World Cup bronze medalist remains confident: “I’m generally in a good mood and I think I’ll have a few good races to come.“
The start of the season so far is somewhat reminiscent of last winter. Even then, Straßer had to wait a long time for a sense of success. But at the end of the season he was able to celebrate nothing less than World Championship bronze in the slalom.
Straßer still has a goal in Val d’Isère
When the top drivers fight for the podium places in Val d’Isère in the afternoon, Linus Straßer will probably be watching closely so that he can finally settle his score with the “Face” next year: “It’s a big goal in my career to do that again.“