The Frenchman claimed his second medal in two races at the Courchevel-Meribel 2023 World Championships on Thursday.
Freed from the burden, he was relieved to be at the height in front of the public. Alexis Pinturault has been reliving life since the 2023 Alpine Skiing World Championships for the men’s event in his resort of Courchevel. Newly signed on Thursday, February 9, Son of the Nation re-emerged as the White Circus’ 34-time World Cup winner with a Super-G bronze medal on his eighth career podium at the Worlds. And that renaissance seems to be taking shape in speed events (super-G and downhill).
Originally a technician (slalom and giant), do we need to remember that the native of Moûtiers (Savoie) quickly became one of the most versatile skiers on the circuit? Joint global four-time champion (G Slalom and Slalom), already a Bronze medalist in the Super G Slalom at the previous World Championships in Cortina (2021), he has even climbed to the top of the event at the World Cup, 2014 March, Lenzerheide (Switzerland). “He was the last Frenchman to win a Super-G, so he always had potential’, reminded David Chastain, captain of the French men’s alpine ski team, in his arrival racket after the podium ceremony.
If the main interested party is reassured that he isn’t necessarily expecting such a performance on Thursday, the bronze and his title already built around the Super G two days ago won’t come as much of a surprise in the end. Speed has always featured heavily in his thinking and career. When the planets are aligned, as in the Eclipse orbit that suits him well since Tuesday, Alexis Pinturault can aim high.
reduce? “It’s a nice conversion!”
For today, see it line up especially on the downhills? “From that point of view, it probably reassures me a little bit.Alexis Pinturault answered at a press conference. I don’t say this “choice” because it’s not a choice I made, but from that perspective, it encourages me, yes. I’ve had a lot of fun in super-G and I’ve been having a lot of fun going downhill. I don’t know because you have to make a choice. But at the end of my career, I was motivated to go downhill again, which is not out of the question. “
“I think we are good for him and in the future I hope he will be with us more often,” There was also poke fun at Yannick Bertrand, one of the coaches of the tricolor men’s speed team, who had just reached the bottom of the track with a blue-white-red flag in his hand. Very comfortable in Super-G this winter, with fewer and fewer slaloms (only one top-five finish in seven races this season), Alexis Pinturault, who will never give up his favorite race, the Giants, will have to Leaving aside the second technical discipline anyway if he really wants to switch.
“When you actually do the whole speed circuit, with training, it’s obviously another thing, you have to make strong choices, Xavier Fournier-Bidoz, owner of French specialties, explains. Will he do it? It is up to him to decide.But it’s a brilliant idea to end a career with a change like this ! I think he wants to win downhill races, he’s said that. But he also has to give himself means, because this is still different from Super G.it’s a nice conversion.“
One thing is for sure, All the lights are green, which can see Courchevel skiers taking part in speed competitions more often, especially downhill. Furthermore, as our consultant Luc Alphand explained, “It’s easier to go from technique to speed as you get older“. Technologists can adapt to the demands of speed (endurance, mental strength) as they age. The converse is not true, technical events such as slalom and giant slalom require less explosive power as athletes age.
On the other hand, there is still a long way to go before seeing Moutier’s ‘The Beast’ take the bloodline title. “you have to be mentally preparedThe former triple champion of the Pro Globes was also warned. Not everyone can make it, but Alexis and Marco Schwarz are doing very well. However, I don’t know yet if he will be a good downhill rider. He may not be that fast.“Only time will tell and it’s clear that at almost 32, Alexis Pinturault is determined to prolong the joy. In technique, in speed.