Gurgl 2025 Men’s Slalom Podium: GEPA pictures
France’s Paco Rassat Wins HIs First World Cup in Thrilling Gurgl Finale
Paco Rassat delivered the run of his life on Saturday in Gurgl, winning his first World Cup slalom from bib 21 after unleashing the fastest second run of the entire field. The 27-year-old French skier attacked the course with fearless energy and held off a late charge from the world’s best, claiming victory by .07 seconds over Belgium’s Armand Marchant — who himself stormed to his first World Cup podium from bib 23.
Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath, starting from bib 5, completed the podium .09 off the winning time despite a committed final run. The top three were separated by less than a tenth of a second in one of the most dramatic finishes of the early season.
Rassat’s win marked the breakthrough moment of his career — and capped an afternoon of relentless, unpredictable slalom drama.
“This is insane. I don’t know what to say — I’m just very happy today. My dream came true. Last weekend in Levi helped my confidence and push, but to imagine winning a World Cup… that’s something you can’t control. The next race is in France, and I’ve never had a good result there, so I want to ski well, push hard, and see what happens.”
— Paco Rassat
A Wild Second Run Starts to Build
The second run opened under mostly clear skies, with crisp visibility and cold, fast snow. Italy’s Tommaso Sala set the tone with a clean 52.90. Austria’s Johannes Strolz immediately surpassed him by .41, drawing the first big roar of the afternoon.
Then the lead changed hands again — and again.
Great Britain’s Billy Major surged into first, earning a full finish-area birthday serenade on his 29th. Norway’s Oscar Andreas Sandvik, Bulgaria’s Albert Popov, and Austria’s Dominik Raschner each took turns on top. Sweden’s Fabian Axel Swartz recorded the first DNF. Veteran Dave Ryding skied smoothly but slotted only into temporary seventh.
The early minutes made one thing clear: with so many skiers within a second of the lead, the race was going to explode once the heavy hitters dropped in.
Austrian Fire: Raschner +19 positions and Rueland Ignite the Home Crowd
The mid-run produced two unforgettable Austrian performances.
Dominik Raschner delivered one of the biggest climbs of the day, rising 19 places and eventually finishing as the top Austrian. His aggressive, forward-driving skiing set a benchmark that held deep into the run.
Equally electrifying was Simon Rueland, starting from bib 42. The young Austrian attacked with total commitment, soaring into the 12th and sending the home crowd into a frenzy. It was one of the day’s best and boldest second-run charges.
France also surged forward. Victor Muffat-Jeandet climbed into podium position for a stretch, while Popov, Braathen, and Yule stacked tightly behind.
And as this storm of movement settled, Rassat’s second run — a blistering 51.58 — became the standard everyone had to chase.
The Final Ten: A Gauntlet No One Could Crack
The fastest ten from the first run now faced a brutal truth:
the margins were microscopic, and every tiny hesitation carried consequences.
Italy’s Alex Vinatzer kicked off the final group and dropped to 19th. Austria’s Fabio Gstrein landed in 16th despite enormous crowd energy.
Clément Noël, last year’s Gurgl champion, attacked with sharp timing but could only tie for 12th — another giant swallowed by Rassat’s benchmark.
Austria’s Manuel Feller launched with urgency, feeling the moment, but an over-aggressive move cost him the speed he needed.
Germany’s Linus Straßer, looking excellent on HEAD this season, crossed .76 back — fast, but not Rassat-fast.
Then came one of the day’s fiercest efforts: Timon Haugan of Norway. His blistering skiing powered him into temporary third, .29 off, finally applying real pressure.
But even Haugan couldn’t dislodge the Frenchman.
Switzerland’s Tanguy Nef, the former Dartmouth standout hungry for a first podium, pushed all-in but lost speed through the mid-pitch. He crossed .65 behind, finishing 5th.
And with Nef’s time posted, the story became official:
Paco Rassat — bib 21 — was guaranteed the first World Cup podium of his career… with two racers still to come.
The Final Two — A Stunning Conclusion
Finland’s Eduard Hallberg, starting with a .68 advantage over Rassat, looked primed to challenge for the win — until he skied out in the final sector. The crowd gasped. The podium picture changed again:
Belgium’s Armand Marchant, starting bib 23, was now assured his first podium.
Only Atle Lie McGrath (bib 5) remained.
The Norwegian star attacked with confidence, turning on powerful transitions and showing the smooth timing that carried him to earlier career victories. But in the end, Rassat’s second-run brilliance was unbeatable. McGrath crossed .09 behind, securing third but unable to steal the day.
The leaderboard froze. Rassat held. Marchant held.
And a new name stood atop the slalom world.
“I’m speechless. I come from such a small country with no mountains, and my parents did so much for me. I’m just incredibly happy to dedicate this podium to them. It’s an amazing day. There are so many emotions right now. It’s been really tough with all the injuries, but I always fought back to live this dream — a day like today. You work for this so long, and now I can say it was really worth it.” — Armand Marchant
“It’s incredible, the level in slalom right now. You look at the top five in Levi and the podium here, and it shows how difficult this event is and how many athletes are skiing fast. Of course it’s disappointing to come into the finish and not see a green light — and even more disappointing to be third instead of second, especially being nine hundredths away. But I’m very happy to be on the podium today. It was a tough race, and mentally it was a challenge for me after Levi. I’m happy to bounce back and ski at the level I know I can.” — Atle Lie McGrath
British Highlights
It was another excellent day for Great Britain.
Billy Major climbed ten places and finished 17th — celebrating his 29th birthday with one of the best performances of his career. His early leadership and clean second run held strong against a field packed with talent.
Dave Ryding finished safely in the points, adding another consistent result to Britain’s strong season start.
Big Movers of the Second Run
- Dominik Raschner (AUT): +19 places to 6th, top Austrian
- Billy Major (GBR): +10 places, finishes 17th
- Simon Rueland (AUT): From bib 42 into the 12th
- Armand Marchant (BEL): From bib 23 to second, first career podium
Fastest Second Run
Paco Rassat (FRA) — 51.58
- Fastest second run of the entire field
- Overcame a deep start position
- Delivered his first World Cup podium
- Delivered his first World Cup victory
An Extraordinary Day for Men’s Slalom
Gurgl produced one of the most thrilling, unpredictable slalom battles in recent memory. A winner from bib 21, a runner-up from bib 23, a podium separated by .09, huge climbs from Raschner and Rueland, and a field that delivered attack after attack until the very last racer.
Men’s World Cup slalom is officially on fire — and the season has only just begun.
Run Analysis: Leaders, Qualified British Skiers
Gurgl Slalom Men’s Results
About the Author: Peter Lange
