Andreas Prommegger (AUT) tops the overall and PGS standings on the men’s tour, with 294 points and 240 points, respectively. Payer sits 22 points behind Prommegger in combined, on 272, but leads the PSL with 180 points and will be hopeful of a repeat Winterberg result to keep ahead of the chasing short-course pack.
The pair will both want to improve on their performances from Bansko last time out in the 2018/19 season, with both finishing just outside the top 10.
After his serene performance in Bad Gastein (AUT) to claim a first-ever World Cup win, Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) will be hoping to replicate that form in Bansko to keep him in the hot spots in the PSL standings. Currently second on 140 points – 40 points behind Payer – last season’s PSL runner-up, who is also third overall on 246 points, will be looking for another smooth run.
Roland Fischnaller (ITA) will be hoping to get back in the mix in the overall podium places after claiming a first and third on home snow in the Italian PGS double header in Carezza and Cortina D’Ampezzo in December. An 18th and 20th followed in the PSL in Bad Gastein and Scuol (SUI), respectively, leaving the 42-year-old, who joined the World Cup tour the same year as Prommegger in 1996, in fourth on 204 points, quite a way behind Bormolini.
Germany’s Stefan Baumeister, third in last year’s PSL rankings, has secured two third places in PSL in 2022/23 so far (120 points) while Tim Mastnak (SLO) is on 96 points, so good placings from them would keep them in touch for the PSL crystal globe.
Standings after 2 of 6 races on the men’s PSL tour
1 Alexander Payer (AUT) 180 points
2 Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) 140 points
3 Stefan Baumeister (GER) 120 points
Standings after 5 of 13 races on the men’s overall tour
1 Andreas Prommegger (AUT) 294 points
2 Alexander Payer (AUT) 272 points
3 Maurizio Bormolini (ITA) 246 points
