Because there was no one who had managed to take the time of French Johan Clarey – before Kilde set off. During his 12-year career, the Frenchman had never before taken a World Cup victory, and it was not to be this time either. – It stings a little at the root of the heart. He is 41 years old and is just a fantastic skier. The way he does things and the way he is as a person deserved a win. It didn’t happen today, unfortunately, says Kilde to Viaplay. There was also some sympathy for Clarey in the commentators’ booth. LONG CAREER: Clarey has many podiums but no World Cup wins. Photo: LEONHARD FOEGER / Reuters – We may have some sympathy for the French elegant at 41 who may again have to settle for second place here today, says Viaplay commentator Kjetil André Aamodt. The race is ongoing, but the supposed best have run. – Crazy good It was a heavy-breathing Kilde who reached the finish line, because the descent was heavier than he had imagined. – Fifty racks, that was heavy. It was tough. I said it would go slower, but it went faster anyway, he tells Viaplay. The Norwegian describes the feeling as magical when he saw the green numbers at the finish line. The Norwegian lost a little to Clarey at the top, but still lost less than his other competitors. It was smoking a couple of tenths down the hill, but Kilde still kept up the speed. TRIBUTES: The Norwegian flag waved in the background as Kilde drove into the finish line to take the lead. Photo: LEONHARD FOEGER / Reuters For almost a second, Kilde drove into the part of the trail called Ciaslat. It was in that stretch that he gained the most on Clarey, and at the finish he was 35 hundredths ahead. – Damn it, that was a crazy good run by Aleksander. It’s not every day of the year you can have super fast skis and he may not have had that today, but he shows who is the boss in Ciaslat, says Viaplay expert Kjetil Jansrud. Over 12 years long career It was another somewhat difficult day for Clarey who has not yet won a single World Cup, but since he started in the circus in 2010 he has collected nine podium places. He also made a name for himself at the Winter Olympics in Beijing, when with his silver medal in the downhill he became the oldest Olympian ever to win a medal in an alpine discipline.
ttn-69