Odermatt maintains GS dominance with third victory on the grueling ‘Gran Risa’

Marco Odermatt (SUI) fended off a passioned challenge by Filip Zubcic (CRO) to win his fifth consecutive giant slalom race and third in total on the formidable ‘Gran Risa’ piste in Alta Badia.

The two-time defending giant slalom and Olympic champion once again demonstrated his mastery of the discipline on the dark, bumpy and exhausting GS slope, which is arguably the toughest on tour. The 26-year-old Swiss star earned his 26th World Cup victory, 16th in GS and has now taken top honors in 14 of his last 20 GS races.

On a clear, cold and postcard-like day racing on the revered piste which snakes down the mountainside surrounded by jagged Italian Dolomites peaks, Odermatt sped to victory by 0.19 seconds ahead of Zubcic. Olympic GS silver medalist Zan Kranjec (SLO) climbed one spot from the first run to finish third, a lengthy 2.26 seconds behind the Swiss victor.

“I knew as always, I had to keep risking and really push it and I had a good run,” Odermatt said, basking in the sunlight of the Alta Badia finish area. “The snow was better than expected in the second run – it was not as bumpy as I expected.”

The Swiss two-time overall World Cup champion was fastest in the morning run, and carried a 0.31 second advantage over Zubcic into the 2nd run.

Odermatt executed a high, clean line with rhythm and pace in his second trip down, almost making one of the toughest tracks in the world look like your average intermediate run.

His two-run winning time down the rigorous 448-metre piste was 2.29.33. Odermatt referenced his subpar long-distance running skills, when queried about the rigors of the challenge.

“For sure you are tired, but it is not like running a marathon for two, or for me four hours,” Odermatt said. “It’s just two or three minutes, but for sure you have to stay focused.”

Zubcic put some pressure on Odermatt with what would be the fastest time of the second run – 1:14.28

“I saw it was very tight at top and then the big distance until the third place, so I knew I had to ski really well,” said Odermatt, who posted the second fastest afternoon run, 0.12 behind the Croatian. “I had a good feeling while skiing – it felt very good.”

Odermatt's five consecutive GS victories has only been accomplished by legends Marcel Hirscher and Ingemar Stenmark. Odermatt will have the opportunity for a potential sixth straight victory as the racers will once again battle the Alta Badia GS on Monday. Stenmark tallied 14 consecutive GS wins between 1978-80.

The ultra-consistent Swiss racer has tamed the Gran Risa twice before, winning in Alta Badia in 2021 and 2022. He is also now two-for-two in GS this season, following his dominant .98 second win in Val d’Isere on December 9.

Zubo is back!

Zubcic charged hard, skiing super-aggressive almost with reckless abandon in his second run and it worked. Seeking his fourth World Cup win, he crossed the line with a green light and more than a two-second advantage over Kranjec.

The passionate 30-year-old Croatian circled the finish area, pounded his fist on his heart and screamed vociferously, naturally in Croatian. While his time would not hold up to Odermatt, the inspired performance secured his 11th career GS podium.

“Maybe it was one of the best finishes that I’ve ever had,” Zubcic said, shortly after his runner-up finish. “I didn’t know what to expect in the second run, but I pushed hard like a maniac. When I came into the finish area, I knew how good it was.

“I don’t know what to say, but finally Zubo is back,” Zubcic said, referring to himself with vigor.

“I’ve struggled for nine years on this slope now, until today.”

Slovenian success

Kranjec may have been an enormous margin of more than two seconds behind Odermatt and Zubcic, but still his effort was solid enough for his ninth Word Cup podium.

The 30-year-old Slovenian trailed Marco Schwarz (AUT) by .52 seconds for the final podium position after the morning run, a time that he was able to pull back with a strong afternoon run and a couple of miscues by the Austrian all-arounder.

“I’m happy with my third place – for sure I’d prefer to not be two-seconds behind, but these two guys skied really, really good today.” Kranjec said.

“I don’t know how much faster I could have gone, but for sure if I want to win I’ll need to continue this success.

“I’ve been better and better this year and for sure, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” said the Slovenian veteran..

Former Gran Risa champions Alexis Pinturault (FRA) and Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) skied well, but not spectacularly and finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

Seventy-one racers representing 21 nations competed in the first run. Fourteen of those 71 were DNF’s on the demanding piste.

After six of 45 men’s World Cup races, Odermatt leads the overall standing by 72-points ahead of Schwarz, who was fourth on Sunday and 176 more than Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR), who finished a respectable 13th in a discipline the speed specialist often skips.

Odermatt will aim to soar to a sixth consecutive World Cup GS victory as the racers take another crack at Alta Badia’s ‘Gran Risa’ on Monday.