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Odermatt warms up for Winter Games with Adelboden giant slalom win / Photo: Fabrice COFFRINI - AFP
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Odermatt warms up for Winter Games with Adelboden giant slalom win
Reigning Olympic giant slalom champion Marco Odermatt warmed up for next month's Games with his sixth World Cup victory of the season in front of his home crowd at Adelboden on Saturday.
Under heavy snow, Odermatt of Switzerland clocked a combined 2min 31.23 seconds after two runs of the giant slalom to finish 0.49sec ahead of Brazilian Lucas Pinheiro Braathen with France's Leo Anguenot third at 0.68sec.
The 28-year-old four-time overall World Cup winner becomes the first skier to win five consecutive giant slalom races on the piste at Adelboden.
"For me Adelboden was my first love and will always be my big love," said Odermatt.
"I was here as a small kid, it was always a big dream of mine to start here, to be a World Cup skier.
"Now to win this, my childhood dream, for a fifth time in a row is really special."
On the legendary Chuenisbaergli piste, renowned for its difficulty, as well as the atmosphere generated by its spectators, the local hero's exploit was received in a much more sombre mood than usual, a week after the Crans-Montana tragedy.
The Swiss competitors wore black armbands, and Friday's festivities were cancelled in tribute to the 40 people killed and 116 injured in the New Year's Eve fire at a bar in the neighbouring resort.
"Despite the tragedy that has shaken us all, the baker must bake his bread, and we skiers must ski. With respect. But it is up to us to continue celebrating the beauties of life," Odermatt had said on Thursday.
Odermatt was fastest in the first run and posted the third quickest time in the second to seal his 51st World Cup victory and the 29th in the giant slalom, giving him the perfect preparation ahead of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games in less than a month.
He reclaims the lead in the discipline standings and extends his lead in the overall World Cup with a 467-point cushion on Pinheiro Braathen.
K.Evans--SMC
