Alpine skiing – Odermatt wins overall and downhill World Cup

Marco Odermatt secured overall victory in the Alpine Ski World Cup for the fifth winter in a row. The Swiss was in third place after 30 starters at the descent from Courchevel and mathematically made his triumph in the fight for the big crystal ball perfect. In addition, the best ski racer of the moment won the small downhill ball early. The 28-year-old can no longer be pushed out of the lead in both classifications in the final races of the season.

The alpine dominator is also the favorite for the special classifications in the Super-G and the giant slalom.
In the finish area in Courchevel, Odermatt clenched his fist with satisfaction and relief – even though he wasn’t able to secure his next victory after his recent downhill success in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. This was secured by Vincent Kriechmayr, who was 0.09 seconds ahead of Giovanni Franzoni from Italy. Kriechmayr ends a negative record series for the ski nation Austria, which had not won a downhill run for almost exactly three years and 23 World Cups.

Odermatt has six remaining races – two Super-G in Courchevel this weekend and then one downhill, Super-G, giant slalom and slalom at the World Cup final in Lillehammer – 632 points ahead of Lucas Pinheiro Braathen. Because the giant slalom Olympic champion, who competes for Brazil, is significantly inferior to his Swiss rival in the speed events, there was little doubt about Odermatt’s overall victory even before Courchevel.
Things looked at least a little more exciting in the downhill classification, in which Franjo von Allmen could theoretically have intercepted his teammate Odermatt. Because the Olympic champion was eliminated in Courchevel, Odermatt’s success was already certain even before he left the starting gate.