Steen Olsen leads Ski World Cup opener, Hirscher qualifies for second race in comeback race – Sports

Photo: The Canadian Press

SOELDEN, Austria (AP) — Norwegian skier Alexander Steen Olsen on Sunday recorded the fastest time in the first run in the men’s World Cup season-opening men’s giant slalom after defending overall champion Marco Odermatt skied.

Austrian great Marcel Hirscher, who came out of retirement after five years to start for Holland, was 2.29 seconds behind Steen Olsen in 28th position and the eight-time overall champion has just qualified for the final race on Sunday, in which only the best -30 finalists can start.

Former slalom World Cup winner Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who returned after a year off and a switch from the Norwegian to the Brazilian federation, started in 41st place and made the cut easily, finishing in 19th place .

Odermatt, who dominated the GS discipline last season winning nine of the 10 races, started strong in perfect sunny conditions on the Rettenbach Glacier and posted the fastest split times at the first two checkpoints.

However, he later suddenly lost control of his left ski and went off the piste.

“Surely, we are all human and mistakes can happen. “Today I took the risk that this could happen,” Odermatt said.

“I was very satisfied with my skiing. Until then I felt really perfect, so that’s what I take away, not the mistake.”

Odermatt’s Swiss teammate Loic Meillard, who finished second overall last season, did not start after injuring his back during a warm-up shortly before the race.

Steen Olsen gained his advantage by posting the fastest time in the final section, where he made up enough time to edge Croatian Filip Zubcic by 0.02 and Norwegian teammate Henrik Kristoffersen by 0.08 seconds, respectively.

Steen Olsen was looking for his third career podium, after winning a slalom in Palisades Tahoe, California, two seasons ago and finishing runner-up on a GS in Bansko, Bulgaria, in February.

Hirscher, dressed in an orange and white racing suit, ran a steady race without major errors until he reached the bottom, where he lost considerable time.

“It was pretty good until halfway up the slope, after that I was too late on my racing line and almost went off the course,” Hirscher told Austrian television.

“It was great, it worked very well. About two seconds behind, the same thing happened in training, so I’m very happy.” ___

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