'What happened?' Allegre shocks favourites with stunning super-G win
Jan 27, 2024·Alpine Skiing
With the ski racing world preparing for the latest chapter in the burgeoning speed rivalry between Marco Odermatt (SUI) and Cyprien Sarrazin (FRA) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Nils Allegre (FRA) had other ideas.
Allegre won his first World Cup race in Saturday's super-G in the German resort, topping an unheralded podium ahead of Guglielmo Bosca (ITA, +0.18s) and Loic Meillard (SUI, +0.25s) as the favourites struggled to keep pace.
Technical specialist Meillard seemed on track for his first World Cup speed win as he led after the top seeds had finished, only for first Bosca (bib No.17) and then Allegre (No.18) to surpass him for the first top-level podium for either athlete.
"What happened? I don't know," admitted Allegre, whose only previous World Cup top-five finishes were a pair of fourth-place results, including in super-G on the same Kandahar piste track in Garmisch in 2021.
"I felt really bad this morning, I had no power," the 30-year-old said. "But I saw Cyprien and I said to myself, 'Today it's not his day, it's mine, so let's push.' Normally I'm not thinking like this but I don't know why today I felt like this."
In difficult snow conditions on a soft course that was injected with water and salt, some top skiers failed to get to grip with the piste.
Pre-race favourite Odermatt wasn't at his best and ended up 0.03 seconds off the podium in fourth, ending his streak of 12 straight World Cup super-G podiums — tied for the longest in men's history with ski racing legend Hermann Maier (AUT).
Odermatt's new rival Sarrazin, who had finished first or second in the last five World Cup speed races during an amazing run of form, skied a scrappy run and could only manage 11th place.
His teammate Allegre had no such problems, mastering the conditions and powering ahead on the lower part of the course to steal the show and the victory.
"Honestly, I had a very good feeling on the salty snow," Allegre said. "I know my skis are one of the best in these conditions."
His run ended Bosca's hopes of an unlikely win virtually before they even started, but second place was affirmation for all the work the 30-year-old Italian has put in after sustaining serious injuries earlier in his career.
"I think many of you — maybe all of you — don't know my story," said Bosca, who had only four World Cup top-10 finishes and one result above ninth in his career before Saturday.
"Coming here, scoring a podium, it satisfies me so much, it's really what I was aiming (for) when I came back from injury, so it's like a fulfilment for me now.
"Lately I'm skiing quite good, so I was confident that I can ski fast and keep myself in the front. But coming down and seeing the green light was actually amazing."
That green light didn't last even one skier but it was enough to push Meillard out of the leader's chair.
The 27-year-old Swiss racer, who is known for his technical skills but is also becoming a world-class speed skier, took advantage of bib No.5 on a course that was expected to deteriorate quickly, but ultimately didn't.
After mastering the technical parts in the mid-section of the course, Meillard lost time on the gliding lower section but still managed to deny Odermatt and Sarrazin before Bosca ended his own victory dream.
"It was a solid race, I definitely followed the plan that we had," said Meillard, who reached his second career super-G podium. "Salt is never easy, it always reacts a bit different than you expect and it's hard to have a perfect feeling to push.
"It's a good start to build momentum. It took some time and the last few weeks were not so easy so it feels great to finally make it."
Meillard can build further momentum on Sunday as Garmish hosts a second super-G at 11:30 CET, while Allegre goes for an unlikely double and Odermatt and Sarrazin look to get back on track.
If Saturday's results are anything to go by, however, one thing is certain: expect the unexpected.
