After the gold in the combined, the Austrian is the fastest, minimum gaps on Kristoffersen and Foss-Solevaag, twelve athletes narrowed in less than a second. Vinatzer makes a mistake and closes at 1 ”47. Second heat at 6.45am
The first heat of the Olympic slalom is the mirror of the season: a lot of balance, many athletes ready to attack the gold. At the head is the Austrian Johannes Strolz, formerly the combined champion at the Beijing Games, with only two hundredths of an advantage over Kristoffersen and 4 over Foss Solevaag. In a very open first heat there are 10 other athletes in less than a second and two are blue: Tommaso Sala is eighth at 45/100, Giuliano Razzoli 12th at 87/100. Further back Alex Vinatzer, who saved himself from an incredible mistake with a flying split, recovered at -38/100 at the second intermediate but then made a mistake again. At the finish the time trial punishes him with 1 ”47 delay from Kristoffersen.
The race
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The surprises: out of Manuel Feller (he forked in the middle of the track while he was in line with Kristoffersen), Jacobsen and Braathen. Marco Schwarz in crisis on the track of the home coach Marco Pfeifer. And the ranking is very narrow: behind Strolz, Kristoffersen and Foss Solevaag the gaps are minimal: from Loic Meillard (at 30/100) to Strasser (at 33/100), from Noel (at 38/100) to Matt (at 44 / 100) and Khorhoshilov (at 71/100). Then Zenhaeusern (at 80/100) and Razzoli. At 6.45 the second heat.
February 16, 2022 (change February 16, 2022 | 04:05)
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