Clément Noël claims today in Chamonix his first slalom win this World Cup season. He won three slalom events in each of the previous two seasons, the last one in Chamonix in February last year. Since then, he has found himself in a strong position after the first run many times, but unable to string together two strong runs for the victory. Today was Noel’s third podium of the season, after earning two second-places this year, one in Flachau and in Schladming.
Noël is the seventh skier to win a slalom race in the World Cup this season. Not since 2008-2009 have there been seven different slalom winners in the men's World Cup. The record number of slalom winners in a single World Cup season is nine, achieved in 1985-1986 and 1999-2000.
“It was pretty difficult. There were lots of bumps, lots of ruts. I’m usually not so good in that type of condition (...) I’m just really, really happy to win this race today. It’s sad we have nobody to celebrate this with us but this was a cool moment”, Noël said.
Ramon Zenhaeusern finished 0.16 seconds behind the French skier. Zenhäusern won this season's slalom event in Alta Badia, his second World Cup win in this discipline.
Marco Schwarz finished in the third position just +0.19 seconds behind Noël. It is his seventh podium he is the one who has collected the most men's slalom podiums this World Cup season. He only failed to record a top-three finish in Madonna di Campiglio, where he came ninth. Thomas Stangassinger (8) in 1996-1997 was the last Austrian other than Hirscher to achieve eight slalom podiums in a Men's World Cup season.
Marco Schwarz finished on the podium in each of the last six slalom events held in the World Cup. The last man to claim six successive World Cup slalom podiums before him was Hirscher from January to March 2019.
Marco Schwarz, who leads the discipline standings ahead of Sebastian Foss-Solevåg of Norway, climbed to second place in the overall standings, trailing Alexis Pinturault by 266 points.
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