(Bormio) Frenchman Cyprien Sarrazin created a surprise by winning the Bormio downhill in Italy on Thursday, the second victory of his career in the World Cup, during a race marked by the injury of the Austrian Marco Schwarz, then leader of the general classification.
The native of Gap was ahead of the Swiss Marco Odermatt by nine hundredths, who takes control of the general classification, and the Canadian Cameron Alexander by a second, 23 hundredths.
Sarrazin had already created a surprise when he won the Alta Badia parallel giant slalom in December 2016.
This is the first success of a French skier in a World Cup downhill since that of Adrien Théaux in Santa Caterina in December 2015.
Luc Alphand was until then the only Frenchman to have won downhill in Bormio, in March 1995 and December 1996.
On the extremely technical Stelvio track, 29-year-old Sarrazin took a lot of risks to make the difference.
After finishing 4th in the second descent in Val Gardena two weeks ago, he brilliantly confirmed his current good spirits.
Thursday’s descent, however, ended in the worst possible way for Marco Schwarz.
Winner last week of the night slalom at Madonna di Campiglio, the Austrian arrived in Bormio with a small lead of eight units over his great rival Marco Odermatt, double title holder of the big globe.
Appearing to have suffered a twisted right knee, the 28-year-old skier ended his descent halfway into the net.
Schwarz was then evacuated by helicopter to a hospital.
The men’s Alpine Skiing World Cup continues with a super-G on Friday in Bormio to end 2023.
