French Skier Clément Noël Dashes Finnish Hopes in Thrilling World Cup Night Slalom
Image Source: Internet
In a nail-biting finish, French Olympic champion Clément Noël secured his first World Cup victory of the season in a night slalom event at Madonna Di Campiglio, Italy. Noël's win denied Finnish skier Eduard Hallberg the opportunity to become the first Finnish man to claim a World Cup title in nearly 20 years. Hallberg had led after the first run, but ultimately finished 0.12 seconds behind Noël and 0.37 seconds behind French compatriot Paco Rassat. Noël, who was third after the first run, expressed his satisfaction with the win, stating that it's a different feeling from coming in second or third. The French skier had been consistently improving in training and was confident in his abilities. Hallberg, on the other hand, was delighted to have moved up the podium and earn Finland's first World Cup men's podium result since 2007. The victory marks Noël's first win in nearly a year and comes after two second-place finishes this season. The slalom event at the upcoming Milan Cortina Winter Olympics is scheduled for February 16 in Bormio. This month, there are three more slalom races scheduled, adding to a packed January calendar for alpine skiing enthusiasts.
