January 9, 2021 - Croatian skier Filip Zubčić wins second in Adelboden and achieved two second-place finishes, two days in a row!
For the second day in a row, and for the third time in his career in Adelboden, Filip Zubčić stepped onto the second pillar of the podium in the World Cup giant slalom race. Above him was only the incredible Frenchman Alexis Pinturault, who came to his third consecutive victory in this season's giant slalom, with just 26-hundredths ahead of the Zagreb skier.
Zubčić finished the first run in fifth place, just over one second behind the fastest - Swiss skier Loic Meillard. Zubčić was 72 hundredths slower than Pinturault, who had the second-best time.
With a traditionally aggressive and risky second run, Filip took the lead by beating the then leading Italian De Aleprandini by 80 hundredths of a second, which was the fourth-best time.
It was too difficult a task for Norwegian Alexander Aamodt Kilde and Swiss Marc Odermatt, who were better than Zubčić in the first run, but were almost half a second behind in the second.
Maestro Alexis Pinturault overcame the second race on the Chuenisbaergli slope without a single mistake and gave Loic Meillard a serious challenge.
The Swiss skier, who never won a giant slalom race, was on his way to second place, but made a big mistake in the middle of the course, completely lost speed and in the end, barely managed to reach third place with only a two-hundredths of a second advantage over compatriot Odermatt in fourth.
With his 33rd career victory and 17th in giant slalom races, Pinturault took the lead in the giant slalom standings with 440 points, 40 more than Odermatt. In third is Filip Zubčić, who reached 368 points on the seventh podium in his career.
The French skier also leads the standings for the Grand Crystal Globe with 675 points. Norwegian Aamodt Kilde is second with 560, and third is Odermatt with 501. Filip Zubčić is in fourth place with 455 points.
The skiers will fight for points in the slalom in Adelboden on Sunday, and Zubčić will be joined by the Croatian trio from Sljeme, Istok Rodeš, Matej Vidović, and Samuel Kolega. The first run is scheduled for 10:30 am, and the second at 1:30 pm.
Source: HRT
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