Men’s Olympic slalom appears entirely wide open

With six different winners in six World Cup slalom races this season, the final men’s alpine event of these Olympic Winter Games is officially up for grabs on Wednesday.

The six winners are Clement Noel, Sebastian Foss-Solevaag, Johannes Strolz, Lucas Braathen, Dave Ryding and Linus Strasser.

Looking at all-around consistency, Braathen leads the bunch sitting atop the World Cup standings with 257 points, followed by his fellow Norwegian Foss-Solevaag, who trails him by 37 points, and non-winner Manuel Feller third, 72 points behind.

In addition to his victory in Wengen on Jan. 16, the 21-year-old Braathen was second in Kitzbuehel the following weekend, however his next best result was just tenth at the season opener in Val d’Isere on Dec. 12. The young and talented Norwegian hopes to create some magic on Wednesday morning starting 14th.

The season-opening slalom was won by the Frenchman Noel on home snow, while Strasser arguably may be riding the most momentum as the most recent winner at the Schladming night slalom, just three weeks ago. The German’s victory came by a mere .03 seconds, ahead of yet another potential contender, Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath.

Speaking of riding, the British racer Dave Ryding become the first skier from his country ever to win a World Cup race as he ascended from sixth place after the first run in Kitzbuehel, 0.81 seconds behind Italian leader Alex Vinatzer, to achieve the historic victory. The 35-year-old Brit is competing at his fourth Olympic Games, his best result a ninth, four years ago in PyeongChang.

Strolz, who won his first-ever World Cup race in Adelboden last month is an intriguing story and carries the momentum of winning gold in the Alpine combined, joining his father Hubert as an Olympic medalist, who won giant slalom silver at Calgary 1988. The 29-year-old Austrian, who was demoted by his national team earlier this season and tunes his own skis, ascended from seventh place after the first run to attain a surprise victory.

Naturally, one can never look past 30-year-old overall World Cup champion Alexis Pinturault. The Frenchman is still seeking his first medal of the Beijing Games, having finished fifth in the GS, 11th in the super-G and failing to complete his slalom run in the Alpine Combined. The three-time slalom World Cup winner, his last victory coming in December 2019, was fifth in the event four years ago in PyeongChang.

Although there are no Swiss among the six season winners, two rank in the World Cup top 10: Daniel Yule in fourth and Loic Meillard in eighth, yet additional contenders who could rise to the occasion on Wednesday. A third Swiss, Ramon Zenhaeusern also has the ability and previous Olympic success to be a factor, despite his best finish this season only being a fourth coming at his home race in Adelboden in January. The towering Swiss slalom skier has two Olympic medals from PyeongChange 2018: gold in the parallel team event and silver in slalom.

The 29-year-old Zenhaeusern finished runner-up to the 2018 Olympic slalom champion, Andre Myhrer, who is since retired, while bronze medalist Michael Matt will be seeking a third consecutive Olympic medal on Wednesday. The 42-year-old Austrian struck gold eight years ago in Sochi, upsetting his usually dominant countryman Marcel Hirscher.

A second Olympic champion and another ageless slalom specialist will be in tomorrow’s race, Vancouver 2010 gold medalist Giuliano Razzoli. The 37-year-old Italian, who has two World Cup wins, won that race 12 years ago by 0.16 seconds over Croatian Ivica Kostelic.

However, Razzoli has been inconsistent at major events over his long career, unable to finish and post a result in five of seven world championship appearances. Following his Vancouver 2010 triumph, he was also a DNF in Sochi 2014 and was not at the start in PyeongChang four years ago.

As far as others who have thrived on the larger stage in pressure-packed races, it was Foss-Solevaag who won a world title in Cortina d’Ampezzo nearly one year ago, edging surprise silver medalist Adrian Pertl, who is injured this season, the bronze medal going to a fourth Norwegian, Henrik Kristoffersen, who could also contend who could also be in the mix. Kristoffersen enters the Olympic slalom with solid third and fourth place results at the previous two World Cup events.

Eighty-eight racers representing a record 61 countries will be at the start for the men’s Olympic slalom in Yanqing on the 47-gate, 211-meter vertical drop ‘Ice River’ piste. Austrian coach Marko Pheifer sets the first run course, while Italian Jacques Theolier has the honors for the afternoon run.

The final men’s individual race of Beijing 2022 kicks off at 10:15 am local time. Swiss double Olympic medalist Zenhaeusern kicks off the event.

Weather for the race looks partly cloudy with continuing cold temperatures.

US head coach on American starter Luke Winters

Luke Winters will represent the U.S. Ski Team at the start on Wednesday morning. The 24-year-old racer from Oregon, who races on Dynastar skis, is competing at his first Olympic Games.

The 2019 national champion enters the race as the top ranked U.S. slalom racer this season with his best result being a tenth in Adelboden, on Jan. 9. Winters followed that showing with another solid result, an 11^th place finish at the famed Kitzbuehel slalom two weeks later. The rising slalom talent – who is in his fourth full season on the U.S. Ski Team – starts bid number 25. He currently stands 29th in the World Cup standings with 61 points.

U.S. men’s head coach Forest Carey expanded upon Winter’s progress and development.

“Luke is kind of the leader of our younger, and the veteran more experienced guy, of our slalom team,” Carey said. “He was 10th in Adelboden, which is what primarily put him on the team with the objective criteria.

“Luke popped on the scene three years ago and has had fast runs, but he hasn’t put it all together. His skiing this year has been much more stable and he’s starting to piece it all together.

“He’s a good kid and his best skiing comes out on race day and hopefully will also come through at the biggest race here and he is able to bring out his best,” Carey said.

Four American legends have won Olympic slalom medals: Billy Kidd, Jimmy Heuga, and Phil and Steve Mahre.

Kidd won silver at the Innsbruck 1964 Games, with his teammate Heuga just behind claiming bronze.

Brothers Phil and Steve stood on the podium together, having won gold and silver at the 1984 Sarajevo Games, the greatest moment in men’s U.S. slalom history.

Follow Brian on Twitter – @Brian_Pinelli

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