Alexis Pinturault 2nd in the slalom, Clément Noël misses the victory on the last gate, the victory for Foss Solevag

Christmas ruined the party. With a comfortable lead at the end of the first run (- 0”53), Clément Noël only had to perform to win the second slalom of the season, contested at Madonna di Campiglio ( Italy). But the Habs, proud of their established superiority over discipline, pushed through to the end of a second round, however drawn without traps. The Vosgien missed the last door, while the French clan was already beginning to savor a probable double podium. Finally, Alexis Pinturault (2nd, +0”10), author of a solid second run, is accompanied on the box by world champion Sebastian Foss Solevag (Norway), winner on Wednesday, and Kristoffer Jakobsen (Sweden), third ( +0”11).

Disqualified, Noel overplayed

He was the strongest. Certainly. But wanting to show it too much, Clément Noël lost a 10th victory which was reaching out to him. Last to start from the starting gate, the skier from Val d’Isère quickly inflated his savings. The speed of his large segments between the poles contrasted with the laborious skiing offered by almost the entire plateau on very gripping dry snow.

Under the beams of artificial light, Noël thus quickly came close to a second in advance (-0.91 to the 3rd intermediate). By excess of greed, the holidays approaching, the Vosgien rushed without hesitation towards the line, initially lighting green (-1”01). But the person concerned knew it well before anyone else, the sanction fell and the party was ruined.

Pinturault consoles the French clan

One was expected and failed, the other was navigating troubled waters without major landmarks and was reassured. After seizing the advantage of a first bib on a track which quickly deteriorated in the first heat, Alexis Pinturault found a second wind on the Canelone Miramonti. Second, the Courchevel skier gleaned a second podium there this season (after that of the giant of Val d’Isère) as a consolation for a French clan undoubtedly disappointed at dusk this evening.

Able to play with the best again in the discipline, Pinturault offered himself a first podium in the transalpine hamlet. The promise of a comeback in 2022, a few days after a depressing weekend in Alta Badia. But the pitfalls remain, Foss-Solevaag in the lead. The Norwegian, reigning world champion, played consistency for a second victory in the World Cup.

Another winner of the day, the Swede Jakobsen, again on the box, stole the red bib from Clément Noël. The latter has two weeks to ruminate on his frustration, before putting on his white circus magician costume on January 5 in Zagreb.