The resplendent Hirscher, still just
22 years of age, earned his fourth
podium finish and second win of the
season moving him into the lead of
the World Cup’s overall and slalom
standings. And again, the Italians
showed power, depth and pride
with Giuliano Razzoli finishing second and Cristian DeVille sixth. Patrick Thaler had the fastest second
run and posted seventh; Stephane
Gross was eighth. Third was German star Felix Neureuther.
Hirscher possesses great confi-
dence, but said he was not fond of
the Gran Risa slope. “It is really beautiful,” he said, “but is not good for me for slalom.” He was also wrestling with a tes-
ty back and had spent three hours with the Austrian team physio after the GS. About waiting in the start for the second
run with a narrow lead over Ivica Kostelic, the budding superstar said: “the tension was enormous. I knew I must at-
tack again. Anything less helps
nothing.”
Halfway down the run a skill-
ful recovery shocked him “wide
awake,” and he skied the re-
mainder of the course error-free.
Razzoli, in second, was more
than a half a second back.
“I really had no idea I was skiing
this fast,” Hirscher said. “Three
podiums already and the season has just started. This whole
thing is just amazing.”
Razzoli said he had been
struggling with a shoulder injury
and said he was glad to see the
therapy work paying off.
Blardone charged the second run to
his third career win at Alta Badia.
Marcel Hirscher displays
classic slalom form enroute
to fifth career win. Check out Steven’s FantasySkiRacer.com
Rehabbing racer and Fantasy Ski Racer creator
Steven Nyman offers his insight on what went
down in Val Gardena and Alta Badia.
