TNT Sports
Linus Strasser shocks field to win Kitzbuhel slalom and end two-year wait for World Cup win, Dave Ryding fifth
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Published 21/01/2024 at 18:01 GMT
Germany's Linus Strasser ripped up the form book with a sensational slalom victory in Kitzbuhel, ending a two-year wait for a World Cup victory. His time of 49.87 seconds proved to be decisive, and was joined on the podium by Sweden's Kristoffer Jakobsen and Daniel Yule of Switzerland. The men's Alpine Skiing World Cup continues with a giant slalom at Schladming on Tuesday.
Watch highlights as Strasser secures slalom win in Kitzbuhel
Video credit: TNT Sports
Germany's Linus Strasser launched a second-run charge to upset the form book with slalom victory at Kitzbuhel.
Strasser scorched down the course in 49.87 seconds at the second time of asking to claim the fourth World Cup win of his career.
It was the 31-year-old's first podium finish of the season having finished fourth at Adelboden earlier this month.
There were three British skiers in the top 30 with a brilliant second run lifting Dave Ryding from tenth into fifth place.
Ryding led until the latter stages of the competition, but was surpassed by Strasser, Sweden's Kristoffer Jakobsen and Daniel Yule of Switzerland.
Manuel Feller also bettered Ryding's time but missed out on the podium, with Austrian skiers having won the opening four slalom races of the season.
“It feels like the circle of the history is closing again – it’s done, I was always dreaming about it, I believed in it, especially the last two years,” said Strasser in quotes published by fis-ski.com.
“The mission was always to get a “Gans” to be on the podium, winning is a different story," he added, in reference to the famous 'chamois' trophy.
“It happened today, so I am unbelievably happy. I don’t know what to say.”
This was the third World Cup slalom win of Strasser's career, and ended the wait for a German win in a slalom race at Kitzbuhel since Felix Neureuther in 2014.
It also ended a two-year wait for a World Cup win of any description since winning at Schladming in January 2022.
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