Linus Straßer had little to gain from the slalom course in Alta Badia. The “high-speed ass shaking” is not his thing. The Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath won the last World Cup race before the short Christmas break.
In the end it was a tight race at the World Cup Slalom in Alta Badia, Italy. However, the places on the podium were decided without German participation. The Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath prevailed with a lead of 0.30 seconds over the Frenchman Clement Noel. The Swiss Loic Meillard came third. Linus Straßer ended up in 17th place, Sebastian Holzmann came in 24th.
Straßer is still looking for the optimal set-up
Slalom ace Linus Straßer missed the chance to say goodbye to the Christmas break with a top placing in the last race of the year. Even in the fourth race of the Olympic season, the ski lion was unable to compete for the podium after changing equipment.
The trip on the Gran Risa was “with all due respect, but down below, high-speed ass shaking.” “That’s just not my thing.” The 33-year-old was still not dissatisfied with the day of skiing: “Even if it doesn’t look like it from the outside, I’ve made progress with my material.” The experience was important for the next races in January. “It’s the small steps you take that are very important in the end.”
In the first run, Straßer was not able to get through the bars on the fastest time. The 33-year-old lost a whopping 1.36 seconds to the Frenchman Clement Noel’s target (53.30s). “It was easy to drive, even with the course setting”Straßer, who had lost time due to a “hacker”, analyzed on the BR microphone. But his run is “absolutely usable for skiing.”
Straßer and Holzmann without catching up
The slalom specialist from TSV 1860 Munich remained relaxed despite finishing in 19th place and saw a good chance of moving far forward in the final run. However, he was unable to catch up, as his teammate Fabian Gratz had shown the day before in the giant slalom by jumping from 29th to fifth place. In the end, 17th place shone.
The current situation is very reminiscent of last winter. Straßer also got off to a bad start to the season, but then steadily improved in the slalom in January and ultimately won bronze at the World Ski Championships.
Holzmann collects World Cup points
Teammate Sebastian Holzmann (25th/+1.60s) was at least able to reward himself for the hard build-up work of the last few months. “I’m very relaxed right now”said the 32-year-old after the first run. After a torn cruciate ligament, the ski racer from SC Oberstdorf collected his first World Cup points in the young season in 24th place.
“I tried to attack, but anyone who attacks can make mistakes”said Holzmann, beaming at the finish. “There could have been more, but I’m super happy“, he explained with a view to the race, in which he had not set the bar for results too high: “Because I have so few ski days, my plan was to focus on January.”
Video: The 2nd run in the re-live
More BR broadcasts in winter 2025/26
As the winter progresses, BR television will broadcast the women’s giant slalom from Kronplatz (January 20th) as well as the night races from Madonna di Campiglio (January 7th) and Schladming (January 27th/28th) live.
Source: Blickpunkt Sport
December 22, 2025 – 10:00 a.m
