Will this finally be the season Clément Noël was waiting for? Often placed but rarely winning since his revelation in 2017, at only 20 years old, the Frenchman had not achieved the slightest victory during the winter of 2023-2024. Back at the starting gate, he didn’t wait long to climb back onto the top step of the podium. On Sunday, November 17, the 27-year-old from the Vosges, flew over the Levi slalom (Finland) to win with eight tenths of a lead over his second place finisher, the Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen.
“It was a tough fight.explained the Habs upon arrival, before the organization’s microphone. I am very happy with my second round. Henrik had set the bar very high [en signant le meilleur temps de la seconde manche]I tried to attack to stay as stable as possible. » His last victory dates back to January 2023, in Schladming (Austria). “I was very happy in my preparation, fast in training but the race is different”estimated Clément Noël, who probably calmed down on Sunday.
Not even the experienced Swiss Loïc Meillard (third, 95 hundredths away) could do anything about it, nor could Steven Amiez. Third after the first round, the Frenchman was hoping to secure a place on the World Cup podium for the first time in his career, but made too many mistakes during the second race to get close. He ultimately finished sixth, equaling the best result of his career.
Marcel Hirscher far from the count
The truth is that the 26-year-old player from Haute-Savoie is acquiring a new dimension and his performances could generate emulation in the French delegation. To the point of pushing Clément Noël to string victories? Olympic slalom champion in 2022 in Beijing, the Frenchman continues to chase the small globe of the discipline, which he missed by one place in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
After five years in retirement, Austrian star Marcel Hirscher, who now races under the Dutch flag, his mother’s country, has rediscovered the pleasures of slalom, but also its difficulties. Still far from his best level, the eight-time winner of the World Cup general classification failed to set one of the 30 best times in the first round to qualify (46my).
The overall race did not favor the Austrians, as the defending champion of the small world of the discipline, Manuel Feller, won in the second round. He is already losing valuable points with Clément Noël in the duel that the two men could wage throughout the season.
