He may not have been able to back up the tremendous result from the first race in Chamonix where he took second but David Ryding made the small minded critics eat humble pie as he took fourth place behind Julien Lizeroux on the first run before crashing out. ... Ryding is now in the class of athlete that knows that he has to ski fast if he is to play at the top table. The field may have had a few withdrawals but it still had World Cup winners in the field and Ryding held his own. After the first run he trailed Lizerouz by just 0.31 seconds and this was after admitting to having made a few mistakes on the first run. Lizerouz held on to win the race ahead of Miha Kurner who used being first down the second run to maximum effect. Victor Muffet-Jeandet took third.
Ryding drew number one of the latest race in the Europa Cup 2014 series and while he admitted that he had made a few mistakes, he was still in touch with first run leader Lizerouz at the end of the first run. Ryding was in fourth place and ahead of the man in the Yellow bib, Daniel Yule! It was tight and Ryding was in the mix. Conditions were different that the previous night with harder snow, iced, and no rain. With this in mind maybe he could have gone a tad cleaner and faster but it i snot easy to complete a perfect run every time, neigh on impossible infact and to be that close Lizeroux was impressive - especially when you compare the back ups the two athletes have: Ryding - one coach on course; Lizeroux 9 coaches and serviceman on course to give updates and advice.
Ryding was disappointed in the finish after the second run. The course had been chewed up a little on the second run and the high casualty rate was putting the pressure on those still at the top. Ryding was not as smooth as he had been in the first of the two races but was still in touch with the young Slovenian who had used going  first to his full advantage. Although he was behind at the split, the lower part of the course was flatter and this is where Ryding is one of the best. From years of generating speed across the flats at the dry ski slope in Pendle, Ryding knows how to work the skis.
Coming off the steep, just past a delay gate, the course went into a flush and Ryding admitted he tried to set up early but got caught in the rut and was spat out. It was a rather ignominious exit but better days will come. While Lizeroux went on to better the time of the young Slovenian, Ryding was left to rue what might have been. There was certainly an opportunity to score another great result to lower his FIS points but it was not to be.
Jai Geyer was also racing and he had a great opportunity to make it to the top 60 and get a second run, and as the race unfolded could have snuck in for Europa Cup points by making it into the top 30 finishers. It was not meant to be as he crashed out on the first run.
Geyer now stays in Chamonix and takes part in some exciting British run Night Slaloms down the same slope. These are looking like they will have a low penalty as a number of the racers from the EC race are staying on.
Ryding meanwhile will now head to Bormio and then on to Adelboden before making a choice between racing in Wengen or in Zell am Zee the week after.
Full results from Chamonix 2