It has been a tough start to the defence of his Europa Cup title for David Ryding. Although he was as determined as ever coming into the season, things had not gone well for the Pendle racer. How things have changed since the beginning of the season. ... Â After disappointing results from the opening World Cup race in Levi and then skiing too safe in the opening race of the EC Series and crashing out in the second, Ryding took time away from the races and put in some hard training according to his coach, Tristan Glasse-Davies.
The results: Third place in the Qualification race at San Viglio. Glasse-Davies told Racer Ready that he skied "OK in the qualification race for the parallel event. in the first round of the Parallel part of the race he beat the Slovenian Jabec Patrick both runs by 0.2 and 0.4. He then beat Michael Matt by 0.2 and then lost the 2nd run 0.1. Next round he won the first run by .08 and lost the 2nd run by .2 against Saxvall, who went on to win the event.  He got 30 EC points which put him on 33 which then meant he was still in the all important top 7 for Pozza."
Staying in the top seven means better course conditions for him and after the results from the first two rounds of the Europa Cup series, there was a danger of him losing his place in the top seven.  Then came the race in Pozza. Not since Alain Baxter in 2002 has a British racer won a Europa Cup Slalom.  Confidence is vital element for racers and despite making a  mistake on the first run, the second run was good on a fast course, according to Glasse-Davies.
Next up for Ryding is the Obereggen Slalom on Wednesday.