Linus Straßer remains below expectations after his victories at the ski classics in Austria in the slalom in Chamonix. The Swiss Daniel Yule shows a historic comeback.
Ski racer Linus Straßer suffered a setback a week and a half after his furious double victory in the classics in Kitzbühel and Schladming. The 31-year-old only finished 14th in the Chamonix slalom.
After a mistake in the first round, the Munich native improved by three places in the final, but he was no longer able to catch up as he had hoped. In the Slalom World Cup, Straßer lost ground to the leading Austrian Manuel Feller.
Feller finished fourth in Swiss Daniel Yule’s sensational victory. Yule catapulted himself from 30th place to the top with an outstanding second run – and benefited from the declining slope. “It was absolutely unbelievable,” said the 30-year-old after this first feat in alpine history.
Alpine skiing: Linus Straßer “a little too timid”
Yule’s compatriot Loic Meillard came second ahead of French local hero and Olympic champion Clement Noel. None of Straßer’s teammates reached the final.
In the first run he “drove a little too timidly” and the mistake in the lower section of the route “probably cost him five or six tenths,” said Straßer.
In the second run he “tried to go a step further and drive a little bolder”. He was a bit surprised that he didn’t make any further progress.
With his successes at the prestigious slalom runs in Kitzbühel and Schladming, Straßer recently caused great euphoria in the German ski team. The next men’s slalom is next Sunday in Bansko, Bulgaria.