Payer recorded a DNF, coming unstuck after pushing too hard on the tricky rutted red course to try and claim the win. The 33-year-old did manage to improve on the third position last time out, part of the quartet of Austrian men who claimed the top four positions in 2022.
The winner then, Arvid Auner was knocked out by Aaron March (ITA) in the first round of finals today and Benjamin Karl, second in 2022, was beaten by Payer in the quarter final after making one too many mistakes on the red course.
Stefan Baumeister (GER) came out on top against Fabian Obmann (AUT) in the small final, but the Austrian is putting a consistent season together.
Baumeister knocked out Austrian legend Andreas Prommegger in the quarter finals but the 2021 world silver medallist in this discipline still sits top of the overall standings for 2022/23, helped by the inability of another icon, Roland Fischnaller’s (ITA) inability to progress to the finals today. Prommegger has 234 points overall, and also tops the PGS rankings, with the next race Scuol, Switzerland on Saturday (14 January).
Payer tops the PSL rankings (180 points) and is second overall (232 points) while Bormolini is third overall (214 points) and second in PSL (140 points).
The second team event of the season takes place on Wednesday (11 January), starting at 12.45pm CET.
Standings after 4 of 13 races on the overall tour (men)
1 Andreas Prommegger (AUT) 234 points
2 Alexander Payer (AUT) 232 points
3 Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) 214 points
Standings after 2 of 5 races on the PSL tour (men)
1 Alexander Payer (AUT) 180 points
2 Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) 140 points
3 Stefan Baumeister (GER) 120 points
