😎 Feller wins first slalom event of the season | Alpine Skiing World Cup 2023 | Eurosport Highlight

But this is Manu Fela, one of the real characters of the Men's World Cup Tour. Aggressive, fast, and he really does look for the turbo wherever he races, and I like these opening turns. This is that balance that we talk about, Finlay. Clean with the feet, but nice and aggressive and dynamic with the mind. Fela can't wait to get his season underway. He launched himself out of that start gate, looking very hungry. Hungry to take some risks today, and look at that. 0.68. Very accurate on the steep. One slight error on the left foot, but the rest of these turns are looking fantastic. In control on this, the steepest section. Loving the drone shot, Finlay. Showing the curve of the turn, the pace and tempo that the racer looks for as they search for the ultimate rhythm. And look at Manu Fela here, flying on the closeout. The Austrians taking full advantage of a home track. 1.4 is a mile in ski racing. Exceptional work from Manu Fela. And Val d'Isere, this is Clement Noel. Clement, who told us in his pre-race interview that really looking forward to starting the season in Austria rather than in Val d'Isere, which has been the traditional start for the slalom racers over the past few seasons. And again, look at this foot-to-foot work from the Olympic champion. It's high, it's clean, just gets them a little rattled on the steep pitch, but nice and dynamic and great focus from the Frenchman. One or two of the turns in the top of the steep, just sliding away from the Frenchman, but the quick, the speedness of movement onto that new turning edge. 0.57 now behind. That was costly when the skis did not get the grip he was looking for at the top of the pitch. Yeah, I think it was Manu Fela's gameplay of picking up the tempo in the three key sections. Rather, Noel seems to be backing off a little in this closeout. And the clock agrees with me, goes to 0.73 off the pace. And Clement Noel in the hunt on the second leg, but will be disappointed. Goes second, but almost a whole second from a timing perspective off the pace of the Austrian leader Manu Fela. Fabio Gerstrein knows this valley well. He's from Solden, just a little further up from Gergel here in the Otztal valley and arena. So if anybody knows the track, it's this young lad raced here on the Europa Cup Tour before. And again, similar to Manu Fela, showing a lot of confidence. You can clearly see that the Austrians know every little inch of this race beast. He seems to be getting a huge amount of grip from the edge. He's made a small couple of errors, getting more edge grip than expected and off the gate, but he's kept the tempo going well. And using, as you say, Nick, using that experience of the local snow and the feeling and the build up into this race. Gerstrein, 26 years of age and his 61st World Cup start, still searching for his first podium and his first win on tour here. But here we go, Fabio showing that that training pace has been brought to the racetrack. Fabio Gerstrein, third position. All of the local boys enjoying this brand new racetrack. This is the big hope of the Austrian team. Marco Schwarz, a little report and interview with Marco at the top of our show today with Schwarz explaining how he plans to ski every race this season. 45 competitions across 21 different winter resorts and that green light comes for Marco Schwarz as it did for Dave Riding, but Marco Schwarz just a little quicker off the turning edge on that steep pitch, giving the Austrian a little more momentum and pace. Impressive fast moves here from Marco Schwarz, especially when we heard him say in the interview he's been gaining muscle mass, gaining strength for the Super-G in downhill turns, but he's still moving that extra strength well with the shorter slalom skis on. Well, if the season had started the way we'd planned, he'd already have three races under the belt, but that's not the case. This is the first of the Audi FIS World Cup Tour, but I like the fact he's got some fast feet as well. He's been working on that fast twitch muscle as well as making it bigger and more powerful for downhill. Schwarz is in the chase. Austrians are looking good today. From Manu Feller to the Olympic champion Clément Noel, 0.94 of a second. Gestrein just under a second off the pace. Leuchtmayr 1.1 and one and a half seconds separating second to tenth position puts Manu Feller in a brilliant position. Matt from St Anton in Austria, 0.95 of a second is the Austrian skier's advantage. 97 World Cup starts, seven podiums, including a World Cup win. 0.73 still in hand, having lost 0.22 in the opening turns. Very dynamic on the steep almost, just letting the tips go around this turning gate, backed off it a few times, but that's showing how direct he's trying to take his lane at the gate. This is good work from Matt. New skis this season, moving to the blizzard team. He with a great World Cup history, but not many athletes on tour for this season. But look at Matt, show his experience here, weaving his way through these closing turns. Maximum performance, minimum effort, new leader, it's Austria, it's Mickey Matt, top of the table. Brilliant ski, 1.48.28 total time over the two legs. And Mickey Matt puts himself in a very strong position. Marco Schwarz, no team rules remember in World Cup ski competition. Austria lead, Austria are out on course. Marco Schwarz has made it publicly known that he's having a shot at the big globe, the overall tour title for 2024. And he believes the trick up his sleeve is skiing four disciplines, not three. Odomatin killed the ski downhill, Super G and Giant Slalom. But Marco Schwarz, if he's to be successful in his quest, needs to score big points here. And it looks like that big point score is on the cards, Finlay. He's really extending his leg tall at the top of the turn, really picking up that early ski. And with that early ski pressures coming, acceleration the whole way through it. Marco Schwarz still 0.75 ahead in the closing turns. He may have beefed himself up for the downhill campaign, but he's still quick and slick on the feet. Oh, a little few errors on the closing turns, but he's there and he's there in style. 0.82, the right side of the clock for Marco Schwarz. Into top position and top position comfortably. Mickey Matt now in runner-up spot. Dave Riding for Great Britain is in third position. The advantage is a country mile, 1.16, but Manu Fela must keep this clean. And I have to say, Finlay, Manu Fela only has one style of race mode and it's all or bust. You cannot back off the accelerator. You'll get the timing wrong. He is attacking this second run. He knows it's going to be difficult with the ruts. He's putting everything into these turns now. He has the good early line ahead of himself, still with 0.78 of an advantage. And still with the Austrian crowd roaring. Manu Fela's every turn searching for his third World Cup slalom win of his career, looking to bring Austria a clean sweep in the first slalom of the tour. Manu Fela now comes off the pitch into the inviting lower section. Quick, fast beats is the name of the game in the closeout. He can hear the crowd. Fela can see the line, 1.47, 1.46 and he's done it. He's done it by 0.23. What a race for Manu Fela, taking top honours in Gurgel and it's a clean sweep for the host nation. Manu Fela 1, Marco Schwarz 2, Michael Matt 3 and spare a thought for our very own Dave Riding, taking fourth position for the British slalom team. But it's the Austrians that rule the roost in Gurgel and it's Manu Fela who tops the table. This will be a popular one back in St. Anton. New skis, new form and a brilliant podium for the experienced Mickey Matt. Marco Schwarz, second position, 80 World Cup points, sends a message to Alexander Ormatt-Kilde and to the Swiss superstar Marco Odemat. There's going to be a battle on for the big globe this season. That is a superb ski for Marco Schwarz. One of the true characters of the Men's Slalom Tour, Manu Fela, plagued with back injuries and issues over many a season, put all that behind him. Well, I have to say I'm very proud indeed to see Dave Riding claim his seventh World Cup podium. No, six World Cup podiums, fourth today, but so close and Dave Riding was under a lot of pressure. He needed a big result today to maintain his top 15 world ranking and stay in the top seed going into the second slalom of the season. And also the story continues for the British ski team. Billy Major, personal best from 18th last season to 16th in the first of 13 races.