Odermatt fights for greatness on three fronts as men’s World Cup reaches business end

As the Audi FIS Ski World Cup resumes and Mikaela Shiffrin quests for immortality in women’s Alpine skiing, something remarkable is also on the cards on the men’s tour. The Swiss sensation Marco Odermatt can register one of the most successful individual seasons in the history of the sport.

Odermatt has completely dominated two disciplines this term. In the super-G, he has entered six World Cup races – winning four, finishing second in one, and third in another. In World Cup GS, he has started five races and won four of them.

The powerhouse has also made four World Cup podiums in downhill, accruing plenty of points without a victory.

After marauding to gold in the downhill and giant slalom at the recent world championships in Courchevel Meribel, his confidence will be sky-high for the season run-in. Odermatt, who does not compete in slalom, will believe he can prevail in every event he starts.

The 25-year-old currently stands well clear at the top of the overall leaderboard on 1386 points. With nine point-scoring races remaining, and 100 points awarded to winners, Odermatt cannot break Tina Maze’s astonishing record of 2414 points, which she amassed during the 2012/13 season after winning 11 races and making 24 podiums. Hermann Maier’s men’s record of 2000 points, accrued during the 2000 season, is, however, within sight.

Can Odermatt do it? Something remarkable will be required – but he knows he is red-hot favourite for the giant slalom in Palisades Tahoe, the super-G in Aspen, and the GS double-header in Kranjska Gora.

Perform steadily, and perhaps win one of the two Aspen downhills, and he will enter the World Cup Finals in Soldeu with three races to make history.

Nothing is certain in ski racing, and multiple factors could still foil ‘Odi’, who is rapidly becoming Switzerland’s biggest sporting idol since Roger Federer. But he won’t be left short due to lack of effort.

Odermatt has remained in peak condition through this demanding three-fronted season. Physically, he has seemed capable of making difficult turns on icy, rutted courses where others cannot.

He has brought a downhiller’s velocity to the giant slalom, and a technical brilliance to the speed events. Most impressive of all has been his bulletproof mental strength and ability to perform when the chips are down.

But who might stop him?

Kilde continues Odi duel

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR) has been this season’s top downhill racer, and the only man to get the better of Odermatt in a discipline head-to-head.

Like Odi, he is a physical phenomenon who always pushes to the very limit. And at 30, the Norwegian is still able to do things on the fastest courses that others cannot. He has started eight World Cup downhills this term and prevailed in five of them.

Kilde will have been disappointed with watching Odermatt take a world championship downhill title which he thought had his name on. But that will provide motivation moving towards the World Cup Finals.

The fighting Viking’s all-or-nothing approach, combined with an obvious kinship with his great rival, has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of the season for ski fans.

Kilde is also a brilliant super-G practitioner, winning two races and twice finishing second to Odermatt.

Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr, now 31, also continues his consistent excellence in downhill. He has won three downhills this winter and remains one of the most hard-working and driven skiers on the circuit.

Johan Clarey (FRA), Alexis Pinturault (FRA) and Mattia Casse (ITA) will also contend in the speed disciplines, as will Canada’s James Crawford, fresh from winning the world championship super-G in real style. But the big two are most likely to take the spoils.

Vikings rule in tech disciplines

Odermatt will face off against Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) in the giant slaloms. The Attacking Viking is in second place in the overall GS standings –  and has been generally second-best in the discipline this season.

He will be riding high after a successful world championships, in which he picked up a terrific slalom gold medal – producing a second run for the ages – and will still believe he can win the small globe in GS.

Brilliant 22-year-old Lucas Braathen (NOR), meanwhile, is the only man to beat Odermatt in GS this season, showing his boundless potential as he won in Alta Badia.

The always-daring Loic Meillard (SUI) won in Schladming, in a race his teammate didn’t start. Zan Kranjec (SLO) and Marco Schwarz (AUT) have been consistent in GS, too.

The slalom, meanwhile, is the realm of the Norwegians. In the most closely contested small globe this year, the buccaneering Braathen lies just 36 points ahead of veteran Swiss slalom ace Daniel Yule.

New world champion Kristoffersen is also in the mix to emerge as the term’s top technical contender, with Manuel Feller (AUT), Ramon Zenhaeusern (SUI) and Meillard also going steadily.

All of them will be eyeing Soldeu as the spot to end their season with some real glory.