Wengen – Men’s Slalom – Henrik Kristoffersen’s improbable error gives victory to the incredible Lucas Braathen

A Norwegian can hide another. While everyone was waiting for Henrik Kristoffersen, in the lead after the first run, it was finally his compatriot Wengen slalom, Kristoffersen makes a mistake, Braathen wins by recovering 28 positions”>Lucas Braathen who won the Wengen slalom this Sunday, after a historic rise of 28 places. Narrowly qualified for the second round, the 21-year-old Norwegian crushed the second route drawn by his coach to afford the second success of his career, the first in slalom. He is ahead on an improbable podium of the Swiss Daniel Yüle (+ 0”22) and the Italian Giuliano Razzoli (+ 0”29). Another small disappointment for Clément Noël (8th), who finished just ahead of Alexis Pinturault (9th).

Braathen alone in the world in the second round

Nobody would have bet a penny on Lucas Braathen’s victory after the second run. Even after his second run, you had to be damn daring. The Norwegian, 29th in the first heat, was simply too far (+ 2”04) from his compatriot Henrik Kristoffersen, dominating at the end of the morning heat. Or else, it had to be called Victor Muffat-Jeandet, who had warned our commentators live that the Norwegian nugget was going to finish on the podium. It must be said that Braathen had put all the necessary ingredients for a historic performance.

On a track which had not yet scored at the start of the second run, the Norwegian let go of everything from top to bottom, taking all the risks in a committed ski which clashed with the one who could put his opponents in place. Cutting the curves, going to the shortest, he cut the sleeve all the way down to create insane gaps. Second fastest on the second track, the Austrian Fabio Gstrein is almost a second behind (+ 0”97)!! And the deterioration of the track did the rest to allow Lucas Braathen to sign the biggest comeback in the history of slalom, with 28 places gained to afford one of the most unexpected successes.

christmas on restraint

Unexpected, the rest of the podium is at least as much. However, Henrik Kristoffersen had left to sign a resounding comeback (- 1”01 at 3rd inter) in slalom, a year after his last success. But the Norwegian made an incomprehensible mistake four doors from the finish. An exit from the track which allows the Italian Giuliano Razzoli (+ 0”29) to sign his first podium in the World Cup for six years and a 2nd place acquired … in Wengen, already. The wait will have been shorter for Daniel Yûle (two years old) but his 2nd place is good for the Swiss, irregular since the beginning of winter but who is regaining color in this month of January. This podium also allows him to take 2nd place in the classification of the specialty, 18 points behind Sebastian Foss-Solevaag, 6th this Sunday.

On the French side, the day will have been mixed. Placed at the end of the first round (4th ex-aequo), Clément Noël clearly did not know how to let go in the first as in the second round. His three recent outings have visibly cast doubt on the Vosges, who wanted to ensure a little more to go to the end and that we saw on the restraint. A little moved in the wall, Noël finally took 8th place (+ 0”51) in this slalom, two small tenths from the podium. A small disappointment for the double defending champion here in Wengen. Just behind, we find a convincing Alexis Pinturault in the second heat to afford a solid 9th place (+ 0”56) after 9 places gained. But the comeback of the day was Norwegian.