"Wild ride over the Ciaslat"
For Max Franz it was already his fourth podium in a Gröden race: "It was a wild ride for me today! I could have handled the Ciaslat better, today's Downhill really wasn't easy to ski," said the Carinthian. "The outside expectations were big, and they were just the same on the inside," is how he described a certain amount of pressure after victory in Lake Louise and Beaver Creek, plus his strong performances in training in Gröden.
Besides Max, the other members of the Fischer Race Family also skied well in the Downhill, resulting in a strong team performance. The two US racers Bryce Bennett and Gröden specialist Steven Nyman finished in fourth and fifth places, only narrowly missing out on the podium. It was the best World Cup result so far for 26-year-old Bryce. Vincent Kriechmayr and former world champion Patrick Küng tied in 22nd place.
Fanara 14th after first run, finishes GS in second place
Thomas Fanara's routine made for a strong comeback on Sunday in the World Cup Giant Slalom race on the Gran Risa slope in Alta Badia. The 37-year-old Frenchman was back on the podium again for the first time since his victory in St. Moritz in March 2016. It was thanks to an almost perfect second run which saw him climb a remarkable twelve places. Switzerland's Thomas Tumler finished in a good ninth place as confirmation of his third place in Beaver Creek.
