The World Cup slalom season witnessed a notable performance as a rising star clinched his second victory on Sunday, enhancing his reputation ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. Paco Rassat outpaced two Norwegian contenders in the second run, finishing in 1:55.22 and claiming the top spot after starting from fourth place in Adelboden, Switzerland. Atle Lie McGrath, representing the United States, narrowly missed the victory by 0.18 seconds, while initial leader Henrik Kristoffersen settled for third place, trailing Rassat by 0.20 seconds.
Previously achieving a career-best ninth place in World Cup races, the 27-year-old French skier now boasts two wins, a third-place finish, and two sixth-place results this season, positioning himself as a strong contender for an Olympic medal in Italy. The men’s slalom event is scheduled for February 16 in Bormio. Expressing his excitement, Rassat credited his unexpected success at Adelboden as “unbelievable” and “a magnificent surprise” in an interview with Swiss broadcaster RTS.
Among other competitors, Erik Read from Canada faced disappointment as he did not complete his opening run. Rassat also took the lead in the World Cup slalom standings for the season, surpassing his French teammate Clement Noel, the defending Olympic champion, who finished tied for eighth place.
The event in Adelboden was marked by a moment of silence to honor the victims of a recent tragic fire in a bar near Crans-Montana. Looking ahead, the World Cup circuit will continue with the Lauberhorn meeting in Wengen, featuring a super-G on Friday, a classic downhill on Saturday, and a slalom race on Sunday.
In a separate event, the women’s super-G race in Austria was canceled due to adverse weather conditions, affecting Lindsey Vonn’s quest for another World Cup win. The cancellation leaves only two more super-G races before the Olympics commence on February 6, with Vonn expected to be a strong contender in the downhill and super-G races at Cortina d’Ampezzo. The next women’s World Cup race is a night slalom scheduled for Tuesday in Flachau, Austria.