VAL d’ISERE, France — In a stunning comeback, world champion Henrik Kristoffersen triumphed in the men’s World Cup slalom on Sunday, marking his first victory in nearly two years. The win came after Steven Amiez, who led the first run, faced disappointment after a fall derailed his chance for a win in front of the home crowd.
Kristoffersen showcased his skill with two impeccable runs on the demanding Face de Bellevarde course, finishing 0.52 seconds ahead of his Norwegian teammate Atle Lie McGrath and 0.89 seconds faster than Switzerland’s Loic Meillard. This victory marked Kristoffersen’s first win since he claimed the title at the world championships in February 2023.
Luck played a role in his success, as Olympian champion Clement Noel was sidelined due to injury, which opened the door for Kristoffersen. Meanwhile, Amiez, who had previously beaten Kristoffersen by 0.32 seconds in the first run, fell short of securing his first career win. At 26 years old, Amiez had only previously managed a fourth-place finish in Austria last month, making this second run particularly agonizing for him.
“First of all, I feel for Steven. He’s skiing incredibly and will definitely make it someday. And to the French fans, don’t worry; he will succeed,” Kristoffersen stated. “I also wish Clement was here to compete today.” The 30-year-old skier expressed his happiness but acknowledged the challenge of the course, adding, “Having experience helps during tough days.”
This victory in Val d’Isère marked Kristoffersen’s third slalom win at this venue, having previously achieved the same in 2015 and 2016. He humorously noted, “It’s been eight years since my first here, and it’s about time they stop saying, ‘it’s been a long time, huh?'”
Reflecting on his past and present, Kristoffersen mentioned, “In my earlier years, I worried less and was less nervous. Now there are high expectations from everyone, including myself. I feel I’ve grown a bit calmer over time.” Currently leading the giant slalom leaderboard, Kristoffersen also gained a 20-point advantage over Noel in the slalom standings, maintaining the top position overall, 18 points ahead of McGrath and 110 ahead of last year’s champion Marco Odermatt, who does not participate in slaloms.
Reigning slalom World Cup champion Manuel Feller finished joint-fourth, but simply crossing the finish line was a win for him. Feller had a stellar last season, securing top-five finishes in every slalom race, but he had faced four consecutive failures to finish in his previous events this season.
Although Noel had won both races before his injury, he opted out of the Val d’Isère race after hurting his ankle during a giant slalom the day before. While the injury isn’t considered severe, he preferred to play it safe and hopes to return in time for the slalom in Alta Badia in eight days.
Lucas Pinheiro Braathen finished with the same time as Feller, trailing Kristoffersen by 0.95 seconds. He made a strong comeback in the second run, improving his position from 26th place and holding onto the leader’s seat for a significant portion of the race. Marco Schwarz, making his return after nearly a year off due to injury, ended the first run in 10th, 1.73 seconds behind Amiez, but failed to complete the second run as worsening light conditions affected many of the later skiers.