Blardone leads from start to finish in Alta Badia, Italy
Massimiliano Blardone led from the front in an outstanding example of Giant Slalom ski racing to record his fifth World Cup win and his first for two years. Blardone made the most of the number one bib to set a time others were unable to trouble. Davide Simoncelli held on to take second ahead of a delighted Cyprien Richard from France. After the first run it had looked like the Italians would run away with it as they held all three of the podium positions with Marcel Hirscher, winner of the last World Cup Giant Slalom in Val d’Isere, leading the rest of the field. Benni Raich stormed down the second run to come from 13th spot into fourth courtesy of the second fastest second run time. Manfred Moelgg struggled on the second run and dropped down to fifth.
For Blardone this was a superlative performance. Opening the proceedings on the first run, the Italian, much maligned by some for not confirming his undoubted talent into podiums and wins, he was smooth, clean and in his absolute element. This was what Giant Slalom ski racing was all about. American Ted Ligety, following Blardone down had no answer to the Italian but when Austrian, Marcel Hirscher posted a time just behind Blardone, maybe we had a race on. After his explosive start to the season in North America, a lot has been expected of Switzerland’s Carlo Janka and yet today he was extremely off form on the first run and while he did qualify for the second run, it was not the performance expected. If disappointment was felt with Janka, with Raich it was 100% full gas. While his time was laden with errors, Raich is one who never gives up and you could sense that the second run would see fire works from the Austrian.
With the crowd baying for more blood Manfred Moelgg, 3rd in the 2008 Giant Slalom World Cup Championship, put in a terrific run that placed him second at that time. Two racers later and Moelgg dropped a place as compatriot Davide Simoncelli rose to the demands of the Italian crowd and slotted in between his two countrymen. With Alexander Ploner and Alberto Schieppati joining their countrymen in the top ten after the first run, this was looking like Italian domination not seen since the days of Tomba, Thoeni et al!
Alta Badia is a steep and gnarly course. As it weaves its way through the trees and then around the corner into view of the crowd at the bottom, you can always sense that there will be trouble for the racers if they do not stay completely focused on the course and the hill. A moment’s relaxation and hopes of glory can be forgotten. Yet for those racing committing everything, the rewards are there to be gained. Hirscher and Raich are classic examples, however, of making a mistake and fighting back to make the best of a bad job. For young racers watching, they would do well to learn that one mistake does not mean a race is over!
For Blardone, starting number one was no advantage he admitted afterwards. The icy conditions, it was -20C, meant that he tried to remain clean rather than force things. On the second run, going 30, the ruts were across the slope so he again tried to ski his line and then attacked the bottom of the course. It was this area where he felt that he won the second run, the first time he has won both runs in his career.
The race itself hotted up when Benni Raich showed why he is still the outstanding racer that he is. 13th after the first run, a run that included a big over rotation half way down, Raich blasted out of the gate on the second and by the first split had extended his lead. Then came another mistake! By the next split it looked all over but a devastatingly clean bottom section saw him extend his lead to almost a second as he crossed the line. With twelve to go hopes of another World Cup win for Raich were raised by this never say die attitude.
Ligety put in a solid run but just could not live with Raich’s blistering pace on the lower section and slotted in just behind the Austrian. With each racer that came down unable to better Raich’s time, Raich’s smile got wider. Had he done enough to beat the leading trio of Italians though? It was Frenchman Cyprien Richard that dislodged the Austrian with a great top two sections building up a commanding lead. Too much upper rotation was followed by a great recovery and while the best part of a second was lost, Richard crossed the line just seven hundredths ahead of Raich. Five to go.
Next down was Sweden’s Markus Larsson but his run was aborted with a mistake on the steep. Hirscher almost went the same way after he got his hand trapped in a gate and stopped suddenly. This meant that it was either Richard, safely in the finish, or one of three Italians who would win. Moelgg put in a scrappy run and dropped to third behind Raich and then came Simoncelli. A massive 1.20 second lead gave him hope that a win could be on the cards. While his run was scrappy, jumping round gates, he was living on the edge. In the end thought there was no stopping Max Blardone and a fifth World Cup win, his second in Alta Badia, was confirmed. For a moment after he crossed the line, Blardone heard nothing and feared he had blown a place on the podium he admitted afterwards. Then came the roar and a famous win! Asked if he thought he could match or better Tomba’s four wins here, he replied “I will let you know!”