Filip Zubcic claimed the second Giant Slalom of the season. Under a relentless snowfall and flat light, the Croatian athlete won his second World Cup race thanks to a sensational second run. Zubcic was able to climb back from the sixth place secured in the first run and scored his fourth GS podium in 2020.
Filip Zubcic was almost seven-tenths off the lead after the opening run but posted the second-fastest time in the second run and beat Kranjec by 0.12 seconds.
"The slope was really difficult", Zubcic said. "(It’s) snowing, but I skied really good. I had a lot of training in conditions like these so for me it was quite normal. I am a really strong skier, I have the power and that’s why when the conditions are tough, I can ski really fast".
Twenty-seven-year-old Croatian star failed to land a podium result in the World Cup until he was second in the classic Giant Slalom in Adelboden, Switzerland, in January 2020.
In February he earned his first victory in Naeba, Japan, before ending the season with another second place in Hinterstoder, Austria, in March.
"Last season was the best season I ever had, so I was hoping that I will stay in the same direction", said Zubcic.
"Naeba was also tough. It was completely different, as it was much warmer and it was like spring snow (...) but today was real winter, I mean, the weather was beautiful", he said.
After scoring the fastest time in the first run by nearly half a second, Zan Kranjec (SLO) fought his way through the second run and did not manage to keep the lead.
It's the seventh podium for the Slovenian skier, all of them in Giant Slalom.
Marco Odermatt (SUI) proved once again his incredible shape finishing third (+ 0.30s). The Swiss youngster scored his second consecutive podium after second place in the opening race in Sölden.
With this third place, Odermatt now leads the Giant Slalom standings in front of Filip Zubcic.
Swiss teammate Loic Meillard finished fourth.
Overall World Cup leader Alexis Pinturault finished eight-tenths off the lead in fifth.
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