28-year-old Gross celebrates career first win, better day for US

ADELBODEN, Switzerland — Three-hundredths of a second ultimately separated the podium on the second day of competition in Adelboden, Switzerland, Sunday. Two contenders, Stafano Gross and Fritz Dopfer, were vying for their first career wins while another, Marcel Hirscher aimed for his 30th.

In the end, it was the Italians’ day as an elated 28-year-old Gross secured the slalom victory by a mere two-hundredths of a second over the German Dopfer, who squeaked out Hirscher in third.

But the drama began much earlier as significant rain overnight suddenly turned to unrelenting snow in the hours before the race. It made for a wintery mix on the hill, yielding favorable times for the early racers in the first run. Dopfer, in fact, had the advantage of starting bib 1 — he was first out of the gate and laid down the fastest opening time. Running 13th, Gross had finished that first run in fifth, and if the second-run spilt times were any indication, won the race down the infamous final pitch into the finish stadium.

“I like this place (Adelboden) and also the slope. It’s not my favorite, but for a first win, it’s perfect. … After one year without a podium, (I) am really happy to be again with a podium — this time the first step of the podium,” Gross said through the aid of a translator.

For the still-winless Dopfer, it’s his third second-place finish this season — in addition to Soelden and Madonna di Campiglio — and seventh podium of his career.

“I feel pretty happy and satisfied,” said Dopfer. “The course second run was also a pretty tough course, and the conditions of the slope weren’t so good anymore (after 29 racers). But I tried my best and gave everything, so I’m happy with my second place. I’m third in the overall World Cup standings, so that’s pretty good for me. Every race is very important. I have to focus on every race really seriously.”

Hirscher, of course, would have liked to have doubled down this weekend in Adelboden. With a victory in Saturday’s GS and a close third-place result in the slalom, the Austrian is charging toward a fourth-straight overall title. He now leads Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud 836-524 heading into the upcoming speed block.

“It’s not easy to cross the finish line and see that you are three-hundredths of a second behind the leader, but at the end, I’m super happy because especially after the first run, Fritz and (Thaler) were so far ahead of the other guys. It’s a very good result and it’s good to know I’m nearly as fast as the fastest guys of the race. It’s a perfect weekend — 160 points, not bad.”

It was a much better day for the Americans with David Chodounsky, who was battling a nasty cold, leading the team in 11th place.

“It was solid. It was good. Definitely not one of my best, but I’ll take it,” said Chodounsky. “I didn’t quite have the energy I needed to really charge and have a spectacular run, but I’m happy I skied well today. … Yesterday in the GS, my energy was really zapped and it was really hard to make it down the whole way. These are long courses and it’s definitely taxing.

“The snow was actually pretty good,” added Chodounsky, not one to be picky. “You could hear the rain all night on the windows when you’re sleeping, so it didn’t look promising this morning, but the temperature dropped; it got colder, and the snow actually got denser.”

Ted Ligety, who had a rough outing on Saturday finishing seventh in the GS, had mixed results today with a troubled second run that ultimately resulted in 22nd place.

“Running early has a big advantage in slalom,” said Ligety. “The course is in OK condition, for what the weather has been the last couple days. … Yesterday was pretty crappy, for sure. I’m not happy about that result. It’s a totally different event and a totally different day, so just get ready for the race today as if it’s any other day.

“Definitely a lot of room for improvement,” added Ligety. “Hopefully when I get back to the U.S., I can get some quality training days in. It’s been really hard to piece together any resemblance of quality skiing here (in Europe) because of the weather.”

Meanwhile, one of the biggest smiles of the day belonged to independent American Tim Kelley of Redneck Racing, who ultimately recorded a DNF but in doing so qualified for his first career flip-30 after finishing the morning 30th.

“It was good. It held up really well up top,” said Kelley. “I could push really good up top and then the bottom was a borderline war zone — pretty big holes and controlled free fall. You just needed to hang on and keep it moving down the hill.”

Kelley raced a single World Cup last season, prior to that underwent hip surgery, back surgery and graduated from college after competing as a standout for the University of Vermont. Now 28, he’s been away from the big show for nearly a half-decade. In his second run, he was quick out of the start but got off balance in a flat, tight section and hooked a gate.

“I got a good prep period this year and switched to Fischer skis, and they’re super solid. The Fischer setup is awesome for my style,” said Kelley. “I think I’ve matured and I’m just a lot more solid in my skiing. Back when I was 21 or 22, I would have had no chance on that hill. … I didn’t want to just ski down, make it down. I wanted to charge and make a run at the second run, so I’m happy with how I skied. It was just kind of a fluke thing.”

The World Cup alpine men next contest a super combined, downhill, and slalom in Wengen, Switzerland, starting Jan. 16.

The Scoop

By Hank McKee

1. Gross, Volkl/Marker/Tecnica
2. Dopfer, Nordica/Nordica/
3. Hirscher, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
4. Razzoli, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
5. Kristoffersen, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
6. Grange, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
7. Larsson, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
8. Myhrer, Head/Head/Head
9. Lizeroux, Fischer/Fischer/Fisher
10. Khoroshilov, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer

Men’s World Cup slalom, Adelboden, Switzerland, Jan. 11, 2015:

• It is the 18^th race on the men’s 35 race World Cup schedule. … The sixth of 10 originally scheduled slaloms, the fifth of the nine slaloms remaining on the schedule after Munich’s city event was canceled. .. It is the 30^th World Cup race hosted by Adelboden … the 13^th slalom. … Marcel Hirscher has won the previous three slaloms at Adelboden dating back to Jan. 8, 2012. … It is snowing.
• It is the first career World Cup win for Stefano Gross. … He had previously made the podium at Adelboden finishing third in slalom in 2012. … He and Giorgio Rocca (Jan 8 2006) are the only two Italians to win slaloms at Adelboden. … He becomes rhe 49^th Italian to win a World Cup race. … Winning margin is .02 of a second … top 11 racers are within the same second.
• It is the seventh career World Cup podium for Fritz Dopfer. … His third of the season, all second place finishes – two in slalom, one in GS. He has yet to win a World Cup race
• It is the 67^th career World Cup podium for Marcel Hirscher. … He has finished on the podium in 59.8 percent of his World Cup finishes.
• It is the fifth best career World Cup finish for David Chodounsky. … his third best at Adelboden. … It is his top finish of the season. … Ted Ligety matches his 56th best slalom result. … It is his second slalom score of the season.
• Hirscher leads the World Cup overall standings 836-624 over Kjetil Jansrud (did not race). … Dopfer is third at 506pts. … Ligety is seventh at 371pts, Travis Ganong 13^th with 209pts, Steven Nyman 16^th at 193pts. … Manuel Osborne-Paradis leads Canada in 23^rd place with 153pts.
• Hirscher leads the slalom standings 376-320 over Felix Neureuther (did not finish first run). … Dopfer is third at 268pts. … Chodounsky is the top North American in 23^rd with 38pts. … Julien Cousineau leads Canada in 40^th with 15pts.
• Austria leads the men’s Nations Cup 2448-1629 over France. … Italy is third with 1615pts. … The U.S. holds seventh with 1040 and Canada ninth with 393pts.

Results