A dramatic finish on the Gran Risa course saw Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath outpace Olympic champion Clément Noël in the final World Cup slalom before Christmas.
A Close Race on Gran Risa
The race began with Noël in the lead after the morning run, but his advantage slipped early in the second run. McGrath, who had been chasing, finished 0.30 seconds ahead of Noël and 0.39 faster than third-placed Loïc Meillard, the world champion. McGrath’s victory adds to his four career wins on the World Cup circuit, all in slalom, and follows a silver medal finish behind Meillard in February.
McGrath’s Reaction
“I am so incredibly happy. This feels absolutely insane,” McGrath said after the race. He reflected on a missed chance a month earlier when he placed third at Gurgl, Austria, describing it as a wasted winning opportunity.
In the finish area he performed his trademark gesture of kicking off his right ski end-over-end, catching it in the style of Swiss former downhill great Didier Cuche.
Olympic Outlook
The 25-year-old Vermont-born Norwegian is a strong medal contender in slalom at the Milan Cortina Olympics, scheduled for February 16 in Bormio. McGrath’s father, Felix, competed for the U.S. in slalom and giant slalom at the 1988 Calgary Olympics.
“My skiing at the moment is good and it’s going to be even better in January,” Noël said, adding that he looked forward to “good food, good wine” with his family over the holidays.
Season Standings
Timon Haugan retained his lead in the season-long World Cup slalom standings after finishing fourth, 0.53 behind McGrath. Haugan has moved up the overall standings to a distant second behind four-time defending champion Marco Odermatt, who does not race slalom. Odermatt’s nearest challenger, Marco Schwarz, failed to finish Monday’s race after winning the classic giant slalom Sunday.
Upcoming Races
The next men’s World Cup event is a super-G in Livigno, Italy, on Saturday, close to Bormio, which will host all the men’s Alpine races at the Olympics. McGrath rarely competes in super-G and plans to do some cross-country skiing before his next World Cup event. A slalom is scheduled for January 7 at Madonna di Campiglio, also in Italy.
Key Takeaways
- McGrath wins World Cup slalom, beating Noël by 0.30 seconds.
- Noël had led after the first run but lost ground in the second.
- McGrath’s victory is his fourth World Cup win, all in slalom.
- Season-long slalom leader Haugan remains ahead of McGrath.
- McGrath looks forward to the Milan Cortina Olympics and plans more training.
The race underscores McGrath’s growing status as a slalom contender and sets the stage for the upcoming Olympic season.
