This race is all about Marco Odermatt. Odermatt has been dominant in giant slalom this season
and enters this race as the biggest favorite of the alpine program. But the question is, can he handle the stress and pressure of being an Olympic favorite. And who might be his foils or at least challenge for podium spots. It's forecast to be cold, about -17C/1F for the race, with light snow predicted.
The Start List/Course
There are a paltry 87 men on the start list today. Down from 110 in this event in PyeongChang. By all accounts, Wyoming snow guru Tommy Johnston has done a masterful job. The surface is very firm and will be consistent throughout the start order. It's currently very cold in the Yanqing region so we shouldn't see the surface deteriorate rapidly the way it often does in Europe.
The Favorites
Marco Odermatt - Odermatt has won four of the five World Cup GS races contested this season. He's won three of the five opening runs (Info for the Predictor Challenge question). Kristoffersen is the only other man to win this season (Odermatt was 2nd). The season discipline globe winner has also won Olympic gold in men's GS in three of the last four Olympics. So it's a good race for favorites. That said it's been a slightly disappointing Olympcis thus far for Odermatt. He was 7th in the DH and DNF'd in his other specialty, the super-g. Odermatt has been dealing with expectations since he burst onto the World Cup after being quadruple Junior World Champion. Odermatt has been able to handle all surfaces this season, he goes out bib #4 today.
Henrik Kristoffersen - As mentioned, he won in Alta Badia, but that's his only GS podium of the season on the World Cup. He has been top six in four of the five WC races. He was the silver medalist in GS four years ago behind only Hirscher. He was then World Champion in the discipline in '19, but didn't ski well at World Champs last year (9th).
Alexis Pinturault - Injured his shoulder in the slalom portion of the alpine combined a few days ago. He's said it's progressing, but he's not 100%. He's won bronze in the GS at the last two Olympics. While he's been a bit off the boil after last season's overall triumph, he GS results aren't that bad. He preformed poorly in Alta Badia, but other than that he's been solid. After being 5th to start the season, he's been on the podium twice.
Manny Feller - After having only one career GS podium prior to this season, Feller has suddenly found serious form. After starting the year 15th in Soelden, he's podiumed three of four races including a 2nd at the most recent GS in Adelboden. The reality is no one except Odermatt is on better form that Feller. After joking about covid in Adelboden, Feller caught it himself and was forced to miss Kitzbuehel and there were further covid complications on arrival in China.
Luca de Aliprandini - Won the silver medal at World Championships last year but has been on only one podium this season (Alta Badia). Can become the only Italian man to win an Olympic medal in GS besides Alberto Tomba and Gustavo Thoeni.
Don't Sleep On
Lucas Braathen - He's already proved he has the necessary speed, having won Soelden at the beginning of last season. This year he's coming back from the injury in Adelboden from last season. His best finish in GS this year was a 7th in Soelden. So the results haven't been great, but he's had two great SL results since the last WC GS race, so confidence is high.
The Field- Men's GS is stacked. There are probably another half dozen men who could make the podium, but I've mentioned everyone above who I think can win.
Outside shot at a podium: Murisier, Faivre, Zubcic Kranjec.
What About The Americans?
Prediction
I think Odermatt gets it done. I'll be cheering for Pinturault and Kristoffersen to make the podium. I think the cold grippy snow reminds me of Beaver Creek. The steep final pitch is similar to Soelden and Adelboden. As we saw in the women's GS race, this hill doesn't have any tricks or gimmicks it identified the best GS skiers.
Miscellaneous
Special rule for the Olympics. "Starting order 2nd runs Giant Slalom, Slalom and Alpine Combined - All competitors who complete the 1st run correctly have the right to start in the 2nd run."
GS was first contested at the Oslo games in 1952.
The season discipline globe winner has also won Olympic gold in men's GS in three of the last four Olympics. (Janka won gold in '10 and was 2nd in the season standings)
Only two American men have won GS medals. (Ligety-gold '14, B. Miller-silver '02).
Today (Braathen, Kristoffersen, McGrath, Windingstad) can become the first Norwegian man to win gold in the GS since Stein Eriksen.
With a medal today Pinturault can become the first man ever to medal in GS in three straight Olympics.
Course Info
The course is situated in the Xiaohaituo Mountain Area in northwest Yanqing about 100km northwest of Beijing in the Yanqing District which is sandwiched between the Yellow Sea and the Gobi Desert.
Due to covid-19 none of the racers and coaches had seen the venue before last week. But the snow surface created and prepared by Tommy "Cowboy" Johnston is drawing rave reviews from the athletes. In fact, Austrian speed skier Vincent Kriechmayr has said "snow conditions are some of the best I’ve ever seen."
Course Name: Ice River
Course Designer: Swiss legend Bernhard Russi, snow guru Tommy "Cowboy" Johnston
Start Altitude: 1,925m / 6,315 ft
Finish Altitude: 1,501m /4,925 ft
Vertical Drop: 424m/ 1,391 ft
Climate
The winter climate of the region during winter is dominated by semi-permanent high pressure centered over interior Asia. The winter climate of Beijing is quite dry. In February, the average precipitation (water equivalent) in Beijing is only 0.19", roughly equivalent to 3 inches of snow. This means Beijing is the first Winter Olympics to rely entirely on man-made snow. It's also very cold, temperatures are forecast to be in the negative teens Celsius (single digits Fahrenheit) through next week. While winds are a fact of life in the region, wind shouldn't impact the GS nearly as much as the downhill.
The Start List
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