Advantage McGrath in battle for Slalom Globe after brilliant Kranjska Gora win

Atle Lie McGrath (NOR/ Head) took a vital step towards what could be his first Audi FIS World Cup Crystal Globe, winning an intense Slalom in Slovenia by a hundredth of a second to keep his advantage with one race to go.

McGrath led after the first outing thanks to a smooth and relaxed showing, but the pressure was on in the afternoon’s run, with his old Norway roommate, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA/ Atomic), now racing for Brazil, lying in second place in both the race and the overall Slalom standings.

His nerve held in sunny Slovenia, as he saw off a charge from four-time Slalom Globe winner Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR/ Van Deer), beating him by just +0.01 of a second. Pinheiro Braathen was +0.04 back, to take third, and Michael Matt only +0.06 adrift in fourth. 

It means McGrath maintains a narrow advantage going into the final Slalom of the season on home snow – Hafjell, Norway – later in the month. A thrilling showdown awaits.

“I was stressed all day”
McGrath has been the form racer this season, with excellent wins in Alta Badia and Wengen, but was seeking a confidence boost here after an Olympic Games that hadn’t gone to plan. 

The pressure had ramped up upon him through the second run. Kristoffersen put in a trademark battle with the piste, recovering well from some untidy mid-course turns to take the lead.

Then came Braathen, who carved out typically clean, smooth turns. But he missed Kristoffersen’s time by a whisker: the Viking pounded his chest with delight as he held his place in the leader’s chair.

McGrath, however, kept his head and his line, to cling on to the lead. He dealt well with the mid-course ruts to take the spoils. He’s often felt like he falls on the wrong side of those elusive hundredths of a second: this time he was the beneficiary.

“I was not calm, I was very stressed and nervous all day,” admitted McGrath afterwards. “I think the added pressure of the Slalom globe was for sure something that was new for me, I haven’t been in a fight in the last couple of races before.

“This was a new experience, and new experiences are tiring. I was very nervous, but to have the hundredth on my side today just felt amazing.”

McGrath knew his exemplary morning should give him enough advantage to stay ahead. “For sure my first run helped me get there,” he said. “The second run was not great, but it was enough, and today that was all I could do. Just fighting. Trying to stay calm and stay clean.”

“The best man stands on top”
Kristoffersen was pleased with another great performance on the Slovenian snow where he tends to perform well. “I’m super happy with the second place, super happy with the podium,” he said. “I made so many mistakes in the second run, and there was so much time in there, but that’s how it is sometimes. This is skiing and it’s small margins.”

“I always like coming here in the spring, even when it was snowing. I really like the hill, it’s a hill where you have to be a good skier – it’s not only to be super risky and ski fast on the flat. You have to ski a proper good turn. I think that’s why I’ve done good here, also that it’s in the spring suits me.

“Slovenia is some country with some great athletes. I’m friends with [cyclist Tadej] Pogacar, and he’s a great guy.”

Pinheiro Braathen was also gracious. “It’s a complicated day in the end isn’t it?” he said. “I had all the opportunity to bring another first place in here, and I felt awesome today. The crowd was amazing, my skis felt great and my technician did an amazing job. It was mine to win today, but the best man stands on top and that is my good friend Atle.”

Race set to go to the wire
The overall Slalom standings now have McGrath on 552 points and Pinheiro Braathen on 511. Clement Noel (FRA/ Dynastar) finished sixth and now lies in third place on 475 points; Kristoffersen’s second place put him on 453 points – but both men will need to the top two to falter in Hafjell to get their hands on the Globe. 

“It’s going to be epic,” said McGrath of the Pinheiro Braathen battle. “We’ve grown up skiing together on that slope. Last year we were second and third on the podium together, and it just shows.

"It’s not over until it’s over, [there is] so much skiing left to do. But it’s so fun that Lucas and I, and Henrik, get to fight for this globe until the end, it’s like a childhood dream.”

Pinheiro Braathen is also relishing the endgame.

“So a big showdown will be at the finals," he said. "It’ll be my third time maybe that I’m in the position at the finals, fighting for the globe. So it’s a position I’ve been in several times, fighting for the globe.

"Skiing for championships, for Olympics, for globes, it’s the biggest things we do as Alpine ski racers.

"I always try to look at things in a proactive and constructive mindset. What an honour it is to be where I can fight for these things. I’m chasing my dreams and I’ll give it everything I have, as long as I have a chance.”

The men’s Slalom season concludes in Hafjell, Norway on 25 March.