Back To Back Wins For Odermatt

There might have been minor questions surrounding the form of Marco Odermatt (SUI/ Stöckli) going into this weekend: by Sunday, as the Swiss great clinched back-to-back victories, they were well and truly banished.

At Alta Badia, Odermatt won his second GS race of the season with a trademark buccaneering second run – just 24 hours after dominating the Downhill at Val Gardena. The 2023-24 GS, Super G, Downhill and Overall Crystal Globe winner goes into Christmas at the top of all these standings again, looking well set to defend his trophies.

This was also his 41st win on the tour – taking him past Pirmin Zurbriggen’s total of 40, making Odermatt Switzerland’s most successful male Alpine skier.

Leo Anguenot (FRA/ Rossignol) also had a day to remember: the 26-year-old secured his debut Audi FIS World Cup podium with a dazzling second run that moved him seven places up the order to finish second (+0.65 seconds behind Odermatt). Alexander Steen Olsen (NOR/ Rossignol) continued his excellent campaign, finishing third (+0.88).

The Alta Badia slope drew some criticism after run one. Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR/ Van Deer), leading the GS standings before today, said the piste was “dangerous” and should not be raced.

Improvements were made for the second round, but the course was still plagued by ruts that caught out the likes of Kristoffersen, who finished ninth, and Filip Zubcic (CRO/ Atomic), who had led after the first round but wound up fourth.

Odermatt, as he does at his best, simply seemed to glide over the problem patches, recovering quickly from any glitches. It was his fifth win at Alta Badia.

“I think every run is different down here,” he said. “This morning was difficult with the changing conditions. On the second run I felt better after the inspection. I saw that it was better, less dangerous, I could ski my plan and attack. I know that I’m strong in these conditions, when it is tough, when it is a fight. When you have to ski smart and with instinct, which makes me fast. You never really know how the other guys ski, but I skied tight lines, smart with the bumps, and the lower section was good. It was a hard week with the Downhill in Val Gardena. I am very happy I could make the switch to the GS turns, to have another victory here is amazing.”

He was delighted with his 41st win, too. “To be the best Swiss [male] Alpine skier ever, right after Pirmin Zurbriggen, who is the biggest legend we had in Swiss skiing history – this is a very special moment.”

Leo Anguenot (FRA/ Rossignol) meanwhile put in the run of his young career to finish second. He was fast on the top section and eased into a direct, confident ski with perfect arcs.

“It’s insane to be on the podium today,” he said. “It’s just crazy. I did two good runs. The second was maybe more solid than the first one. I did some mistakes but I know that all the mistakes were not too bad if I continued to ski. So I am really happy about today. It wasn’t easy.”

Odermatt shared his joy. “It is very nice to see those happy faces,” he said of Anguenot. “We all know how hard this job is, how much effort we put in. It’s so good to see other guys achieving their dreams and having a good time."

Steen Olsen, who won the first GS of 2024-25 in Sölden, also belied the conditions. Second after the first run, he also looked relatively effortless on the second. A lone mistake on the lower section put paid to his hopes of a second career win. Fatigue played its part, he said.

“It was a really tough second run with bad visibility starting to get quite difficult. I felt like I started really good, and then I kind of got a bit tired at the last part. When I saw I saw three hundredths behind Anguenot I thought ‘I’ve lost the podium there’. Then Filip [Zubcic] also got a bit tired, so I ended up on the podium. I am very happy.”

He will look for more points and podiums in the Slalom at the same venue tomorrow. “I feel like I can push, I will do what I can,” he said. “I feel like I’ve not been able to show my potential in Slalom the last two years, so I want to show how fast I can be. I have a shot at tomorrow.”

With four of the nine Giant Slaloms this season complete, Odermatt is neatly placed as he chases a fourth successive GS Globe and fourth successive overall title.