After DNF yesterday in the Giant Slalom, Lucas Braathen's reaction was two excelent runs, setting the best time in both of them, to win his third race of the season. He won the opening World Cup Slalom event of the season in Val d’Isère and the first Giant Slalom in Alta Badia. This is the first season in which he has won multiple individual World Cup events.
"It was a tough day yesterday, so to be able to bounce back with a victory in a legendary Adelboden, words can’t describe how proud I am. It is surreal, the atmosphere they put on here. This is what I dream of. That moment I got to share in front of 30,000 crazy amazing Swiss fans, it is a moment I’ll never forget”, Braathen said.
The 22-year-old is the youngest winner of a World Cup Slalom event in Adelboden since Henrik Kristoffersen won also aged 22 in 2017.
It's Braathen 5th win in the World Cup, three in Slalom and two in the Giant Slalom.
The 100 points allows Braathen to move to the top of the slalom standings, 9 points ahead of Manuel Feller, and 30 of teammate Henrik Kristoffersen.
Braathen's teammate and friend Atle Lie McGrath finished in second place 0.71 seconds behind. It is his 6th podium in the World Cup.
"When Lucas and I were 12 years old, we had a dream. We wanted to take 1st and 2nd place in the same World Cup race", McGrath said. "And it was a good payback for 2021 when we both get injured here".
After failing to finish a Slalom race this season and DNF yesterday in the Giant Slalom, he went down the challenging Chuenisbargli slope with a clear strategy.
“I wanted to push the limits in a smart way. I was really nervous after going out in the Giant Slalom yesterday, and I tried to reset, I took some deep breaths. I did a safe first run and I experienced that amazing atmosphere. When I came in with green lights, wow, I’ll remember that for the rest of my life. We don't ski for results. We ski for experiences. And today was a very nice one", he added.
Since the Beijing Olympics last February, the Norwegians have now won 7 of the 8 Slalom events in the Men's World Cup. Lucas Braathen and Atle Lie McGrath won two each. Henrik Kristoffersen got the other three. The exception was Daniel Yule's victory at Madonna di Campiglio.
Linus Strasser (+0.92) rounded out the podium. The 30-year-old fought his way to the tenth Top-3 of his career. It's his third successive podium in adelboden.
"Today I found a good line between taking just enough risk and not too much, skiing solid. In Garmisch I went for the win, and after I went out, I felt it had been too much. It was a good mix today. And in the best race in the Alpine Ski World Cup. Anyone who wants to see a cool World Cup race must come here to Adelboden", Strasser said.
After crossing the finish line, Linus Strasser made a special gesture in memory of the late German ski legend Rosi Mittermaier. The two-time Olympic champion mother of Strasser's former teammate Felix Neureuther died last Wednesday after a serious illness at the age of 72.