Noel Wins In Adelboden, Third Slalom Win Of The Season

Completing the treacherous course in Adelboden twice on Saturday was an achievement in itself for Clement Noel (FRA/Dynaster) after five DNFs in seven career attempts down the famous Chuenisbärgli piste. And having ticked off crossing the finish line, he decided to win the race too.

Overcoming fog, snow and one of the steepest pitches on the World Cup tour, Noel put his Adelboden demons to rest by winning Saturday's Slalom in the famous Swiss resort. Despite a big error in the second run, Noel recovered to finish strongly and move up two spots, taking his third win of the season ahead of Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA/Atomic, +0.02s) and Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR/Van Deer Racing, +0.14s).

"Adelboden has always been a bit of a struggle for me," admitted Noel, who has also been battling an ankle injury of late. "I did my first podium here in 2019, but since then it was really difficult for me. Now I think I can comfortably say that I really love Adelboden and today it was really an incredible victory for me."

Noel put himself in the chase with a solid first run that saw him 0.38 seconds behind halfway leader Manu Feller (AUT/Atomic). But with Kristoffersen and then Pinheiro Braathen taking the lead by putting down second-run charges before him, the Olympic champion had to push even harder in the second run.

It almost came unstuck at the top of the pitch as he made a big error, but he somehow recovered and quickly regained his speed on the steepest part of the course.

"In the steep part I was like, 'OK, it's done, the mistake is too big,' but at the end I tried just to stay focused on my race and tried to push as much as possible," the Dynaster skier said. "I was quite surprised to see the green light when I finished."

After recovering just enough to edge Pinheiro Braathen for the lead and guarantee a top-three position, Noel believed that third was the best result he could hope for with Linus Strasser (GER/Rossignol) and Feller still to come.

"I was like 'OK cool, I will be on the podium, but maybe not more,'" said Noel, who won earlier this season in Levi and Gurgl.

But a series of errors on the second half of the course put paid to Strasser's chances, eventually seeing him finish fourth, while last year's winner Feller made a mistake at the top, played catch-up all the way down and was finally pitched into the air on the steep and missed the next gate for a DNF. Their inability to come to terms with the course moved Pinheiro Braathen and Kristoffersen up from fifth and sixth, respectively, onto the podium.

Pinheiro Braathen, who had the fastest second run of the top contenders and reached the first Slalom podium of his comeback, basked in the adoration of the Swiss crowd in the finish area after moving into the provisional lead.

"I live for those moments that I just got to experience," the former Norwegian skier said. "Standing in front of tens of thousands of beautiful fans here in Adelboden today and to be the man in the middle of the show — that's why I do what I do. I'm just beyond grateful."

His former teammate Kristoffersen scored 60 valuable points to move into the lead in the World Cup Slalom standings at the expense of Loic Meillard (SUI/Rossignol), who failed to finish.

"When we are third, it's a really good day," said the veteran Norwegian. "Of course, 14 hundredths (behind Noel) would have been possible, but that's life, that's skiing, that's outdoor sport, and the two guys in front skied really good. To come away with the podium on a difficult day like this, I'm very happy."

It was a difficult day to say the least in tough conditions for many of the world's top racers, including the two surprise stars of the Madonna di Campiglio Slalom mid-week.

Wednesday's winner Albert Popov (BUL/Head) made a big mistake early on in the first run and was never in contention, finishing 16th, while Samuel Kolega (CRO/Rossignol), fresh off his first World Cup podium in Madonna, went down and out on his inside ski at the top of the famous pitch in the first run.

Local hope Meillard and Norwegian young gun Atle Lie McGrath (NOR/Van Deer Racing) were also casualties as both straddled in the first run, with Meillard doing so at the very top of the pitch immediately after hearing the roar from the crowd as he came into view.

The tricky conditions, which included fog during both runs and snow falling in the first run, had been anticipated earlier in the week, forcing a schedule switch between Giant Slalom and Slalom.

But the fans still got what they came for — or, at least, the victorious Noel did.

"I know that you were here to see the GS today, so I'm sorry for that," he told the crowd in his victory interview. "But I hope you enjoyed the show."