With the handbrake slightly on, Linus Straßer put himself in a good starting position for the final at the slalom in Madonna di Campiglio on Wednesday (January 8, 2025). Some of the favorites are just spectators in the second round.
Linus Straßer started the race with start number 3. After three failures in a row, he didn’t fully attack on the narrow course with the increasingly icy slope. Although he did well in the upper part, he still had some reserves for the finale. However, he was already 0.76 seconds behind the previously leading Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath.
“That was a very stable run. If I had had one or two better results before then, I would go down the steep slope half a second faster.”he explained shortly afterwards on the BR microphone: “The line is very narrow today. It’s a top starting position and there’s still a lot left in the second run.”
Several favorites do not reach the finish line
As a result, it became apparent that Straßer apparently chose the right strategy. Two of the previous season’s winners, Clément Noël (France) and Timon Haugan (Norway), were eliminated in the first race after driving errors. Henrik Kristoffersen, who was once again the favorite, was also unable to challenge his compatriot’s time. The World Cup leader made a serious mistake in the second transition and was still well behind Straßer at the finish.
Of the first 15 starters, only the Swiss Loic Meillard and Samuel Kolega from Croatia moved ahead of Straßer, who was the fifth from last starter to go into the slope on the Canalone Miramonti in the second round. Last year’s winner Marco Schwarz from Austria, who hasn’t really gotten going this season due to injuries, also got involved relatively quickly and was eliminated.