Olympic champion Noel earns 4th slalom win of season. Pinheiro Braathen gets 2nd podium for Brazil

KITZBUEHEL, Austria — Olympic champion Clement Noel won his fourth World Cup slalom of the season Sunday, triumphing after first-run leaders Timon Haugan and Steven Amiez both faltered on one of the most challenging courses on the circuit.

Noel climbed from fourth position to win the race, 0.09 seconds ahead of Alex Vinatzer of Italy while Lucas Pinheiro Braathen was 0.19 behind in third to earn his second podium result since his switch to the Brazilian federation.

Haugan, a one-time winner this season, posted the fastest time in the opening run but the Norwegian skied out of his second even before reaching the first split time. Amiez also fell early in his second run but the Frenchman still completed the course and ended at the back of the field.

The outcome left Noel as the only skier with more than one slalom victory this season.

''Kitzbuehel has been my favorite for a really long time,'' said the Frenchman, who previously won the classic race in the Austrian resort in 2019.

''That was six years ago, and then I struggled a lot on this hill the last few races here. So, it's really crazy for me to win here today.''

Noel's triumph came with the Alpine skiing world championships nearing at another Austrian venue, Saalbach-Hinterglemm, where the men's slalom is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 16.

''Of course, my biggest goal of the season are still the world championships, but Kitzbuehel is close behind. This is so important for me,'' Noel said.

Pinheiro Braathen, starting for Brazil this season after leaving the Norwegian federation and taking a year off, previously finished third in a slalom in Beaver Creek, Colorado, in December for Brazil's first ever World Cup podium in Alpine skiing.

''Kitzbuehel is my highlight... I was so nervous today, Kitzbuehel means so much to me,'' Pinheiro Braathen told Austrian TV.

''This magic only exists here. For me, it's such a warm experience when I ski here, I'm just having fun and I'm smiling.''

Noel went top of the slalom standings, 29 points clear of world champion Henrik Kristoffersen. The Norwegian straddled a gate early in the rain-affected first run and failed to finish.

The rain became heavier during the race, limiting visibility for racers.

Albert Popov, winner of a night slalom in Italy last month, moved his finger like a windshield wiper after the Bulgarian finished his opening run 1.3 seconds off the lead. Popov ultimately placed 14th.

Dave Ryding, the first ever British skier to win a World Cup race when he triumphed in Kitzbuehel three years ago, shared 16th with his teammate Laurie Taylor.

The slalom concluded the 85th edition of the classic Hahnenkamm races, the World Cup event with the highest prize money, with each race winner earning 100,000 Swiss francs, compared to 47,000 for nearly all other races.

Next up are two night races: a GS and a slalom in Schladming on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

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