Cyprien Sarazin and Marco Odermatt were close in the downhill standings: six points apart before the Kvitfjell stage (Norway), scheduled for Saturday February 17. A decisive meeting in the race for the small crystal globe of the specialty, the last race before the finals in Saalbach (Austria), on March 24.
Ski fans were looking forward to this duel at the top between the Frenchman and the Swiss, who have shared all the victories in the premier discipline since the end of December 2023. But Cyprien Sarrazin suffered a fall in training on Friday, during which he injured his left calf. He had to withdraw from both races of the weekend – the downhill on Saturday and the super-G on Sunday.
An “inevitable” decision, he explained to the daily L’Equipe, starting would have been too risky. “It’s obviously a shame,” he lamented. The French Ski Federation, which announced the package, did not provide further details as to the seriousness of his injury.
The globe for Odermatt in case of success
Cyprien Sarrazin, 29, has been on the World Cup circuit since 2016, and he has not been on a podium since 2019. Landing during last winter only in speed events, the skier from Dévoluy (Hautes -Alps) had never even won in downhill… until December 28, when he won in Bormio (Italy), in one of the most difficult races on the calendar. He then went on to win the Kitzbühel downhill in Austria, the flagship event of the season, twice in a row.
In January, he said that he would never have thought of winning, or even competing, for the globe just a few months ago. If Marco Odermatt wins this Saturday, he will be sure to win the trophy. Cyprien Sarrazin can always hope for a poor performance from his rival, who has never done better than 13th in downhill at Kvitfjell, and perhaps defend his chances – subject to being reinstated – at the end of March in Austria.
