World Championships in Cortina, Vinatzer one step away from the podium – Sport

by time news

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO. With his 21 years, the blue Alex Vinatzer gave skiing Italy the last emotions in the special closing slalom of Cortina 21021. Excellent second after a first heat, the Val Gardena made dream of the third medal for Italy. On the other hand, in the second, in spasm, a couple of smears and a slowdown after the first intermediate were enough to make the podium disappear: Vinatzer is fourth eight tenths from the podium.

The gold went to the Norwegian Sebastian Foss -Solevaag, years and a cup victory. It was since Sestriere 1997 that, with Tom Stiansen, Norway had not won this title. Silver to the Austrian Adrian Pertl and bronze to the other Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen. For the Norwegians they are the first individual medals in these world championships, after gold in the team competition. Vinatzer still has the good test, after a troubled season. Fourth in the first cdm special and then third in the one following Campiglio, an encore podium in his still short career, with the start of 2021 the series of five empty races arrived for him. In short, a real nightmare from which the Val Gardena slowly recovered, only to arrive in Cortina “after having reset everything”, as the blue said.

Italy adds only the 14th position of Manfred Moelgg to his ‘near podium’. In the first heat the other two blues Stefano Gross and Giuliano Razzoli had in fact gone out. “I have a bitter taste in my mouth because it is a world championship and a fourth place really hurts. In the second heat they salted the bottom a lot to compact it and I know that I still don’t go well on salt – said Vinatzer – even if I somehow wanted give a paw to. But unfortunately I didn’t succeed. Anyway it’s a result that gives me confidence after a bad January “.

Not without controversy, the big news was the decision of the jury and foremen, given the sun and the great heat, to break the rule of the inversion of the best 30 in the second heat, imposing the inversion of the 15. As it happened many years ago , when the TV was not yet omnipotent and did not need races that lasted almost an hour before knowing the result. The change in the fear that the bottom of the Druscè – live ice at high altitude and well compacted below – would not withstand the heat enough, damaging the best of the first heat. In reality, the fund held up very well. After the World Cup, the season continues with the World Cup. From Friday to Sunday the girls will be in Val di Fassa for two runs and a super-G. The men will compete on Saturday and Sunday in Bansko, Bulgaria, with two giant slaloms.

Important goals are at stake for Italy: Marta Bassino is in full swing for the giant’s cup. Sofia Goggia, although forcibly absent, with a second place and four victories in series out of five races, can still win the prestigious downhill cup. Already with the two races in Val di Fassa he could hit the target.

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