Alexis Pinturault and the dream of the overall World Cup

Sölden – Last winter, Frenchman Alexis Pinturault got off to an optimal start in the 2019/20 Ski World Cup season with victory in the giant slalom in Sölden. He was considered a clear favorite when it came to succeeding Marcel Hirscher. Too often, the member of the Blues was left behind compared to the eight-time overall World Cup winner from the Salzburg region. At the end of last winter, however, the Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde was only 54 points ahead.

Now “Pintu” looks at the large crystal ball. Accordingly, he will be starting again in the Ötztal. With the overall World Cup and good results at the World Ski Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo, he has set himself lofty goals. The Frenchman, born in 1991, puts winning the large crystal ball on a higher level than winning the World Cup. He hasn’t skied that much this year, and Pinturault blatantly admits that he’s not quite fit this year. Fortunately, after Sölden there is a slightly larger time window for him to train.

The member of the Equipe Tricolore has been one of the best ski racers in the world for years. He also says that he couldn’t travel to the southern hemisphere during the warm season. Due to the corona, the other ski nations were also affected, not just the French. The 29-year-old believes that the season that starts in Sölden will be extraordinary and that with Aleksander Aamodt Kilde and Henrik Kristoffersen, the big competitors for the large glass mug will come from Norway.

Of course, the corona pandemic can mess up a lot and also cause chaos in his plans. Pinturault is aware of that. He wishes that all races can be held and that there will be a reasonably normal 2020/21 season. The Frenchman also accepts ghost races in order to achieve his goals. For example, there are no spectators on the Rettenbachferner who will cheer him and his competitors on.

*** AUDI FIS Ski World Cup Sölden program *

Saturday, October 17th, 2020: Giant slalom women (10 a.m. or 1 p.m.)
Sunday, October 18th, 2020: Giant slalom men (10 a.m. or 1:15 p.m.)

Report for skiweltcup.tv: Andreas Raffeiner

Those: sport.orf.at