BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
The breakout star of the World Cup slalom season delivered another statement performance on Sunday, as France’s Paco Rassat surged to his second victory of the winter, reinforcing his rapid rise toward Olympic contention just weeks before the Milano Cortina Games.
Rassat produced a blistering second run to climb from fourth place after the opening leg and seize victory on the demanding Adelboden course, displacing two Norwegian rivals who had set the early pace. The 27-year-old clocked the fastest time of the afternoon to cap a dramatic turnaround on one of alpine skiing’s most punishing slopes.
United States-born Atle Lie McGrath finished second, just 0.18 seconds adrift, while first-run leader Henrik Kristoffersen slipped to third, ending the race 0.20 seconds behind the Frenchman. The narrow margins underscored the intensity of a race that shifted decisively in the final run.
Before this Olympic season, Rassat’s best World Cup finish had been ninth, a statistic that now feels distant given his recent form. With two wins, a third-place finish and two sixth-place results already this winter, he has emerged as one of the most consistent slalom racers on the circuit and a genuine medal prospect for the upcoming Olympics. The men’s slalom at the Games is scheduled for Feb. 16 in Bormio.
“To win on this crazy hill at Adelboden, it’s something really unbelievable,” Rassat said in a television interview after the race, calling his season so far “a magnificent surprise.”
Sunday’s victory also propelled Rassat to the top of the season-long World Cup slalom standings, edging ahead of his French teammate Clément Noël, the reigning Olympic champion. Noël was unable to challenge for the podium, finishing in a tie for eighth place.
For McGrath, the runner-up result continued a familiar pattern at Adelboden. It marked the third time in four years that he has finished second in the Swiss classic, again falling just short despite a strong performance in front of a raucous crowd.
“It’s kind of crazy,” McGrath said afterward. “I’m of course super happy. It’s such a challenging slope, and mentally it’s one of the toughest places to perform because of this amazing crowd.”
McGrath, whose father Felix represented the United States at the 1988 Calgary Olympics, has long been comfortable on the steep, technical course, but once again had to settle for second as Rassat’s late charge proved decisive.
The atmosphere at Adelboden was intense and emotional throughout the day. Before racing began, athletes and spectators observed a minute’s silence in memory of the victims of a fatal New Year’s Day fire at a bar in nearby Crans-Montana. The resort is set to host both men’s and women’s World Cup races in three weeks, adding further poignancy to the tribute.
Overall World Cup leader Marco Odermatt, a four-time title holder, was not part of the slalom field, as the Swiss star does not compete in the discipline. His commanding lead in the overall standings was trimmed slightly by Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who finished fourth on Sunday. Pinheiro Braathen had placed second behind Odermatt in the classic giant slalom the previous day.
The men’s World Cup tour now remains in central Switzerland, moving next to the iconic Lauberhorn races in Wengen. The upcoming program features a super-G on Friday, the famous downhill on Saturday, and another slalom on Sunday, offering further opportunities for Rassat and his rivals to shape momentum ahead of the Olympics.
Original article
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