Ski World Cup in the ticker

Men’s slalom in Levi from 10 a.m. LIVE

Manuel Feller

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Men's slalom in Levi: The first run is underway, we are reporting live (ticker below).

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Here are the intermediate results:

Today, Manuel Feller is the defending champion out of the starting gate against strong competition from Norway, Germany and Brazil. Can the Tyrolean continue his fabulous season?

Hirschbühl celebrates comeback after over 1000 days
With Feller, the convalescing Marco Schwarz, Michael Matt, Dominik Raschner, Johannes Strolz and Adrian Pertl, the ÖSV has a number of skiers with podium experience. Injury-plagued Christian Hirschbühl (35) is making his comeback after more than 1000 days, while the coaches are hoping that Fabio Gstrein will finally make his big breakthrough. However, the competition is fierce, especially in the slalom.

Strong Norwegians
Many have the Norwegians around Timon Haugan, Henrik Kristoffersen, Atle Lie McGrath, Alexander Steen Olsen and the Norwegian Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, who is racing for Brazil, on their radar. And of course Linus Straßer, Fellers fiercest rival with victories in Kitzbühel and Schladming last year. The German is starting the World Championships season with the aim of becoming the first male DSV shot put winner since 1990. Switzerland (Daniel Yule, Loic Meillard) and France (Clement Noel) are also hot contenders.

Henrik Kristoffersen

(Bild: AP)

Hirscher enjoys reindeer flair once again
Marcel Hirscher's competitiveness in the pole forest will also be answered. The former dominator can certainly count on the spotlight once again when the men's World Cup returns to Lapland (most recently in 2019). He has won here three times (2013, 2016, 2018) and received a baby reindeer sponsorship as a prize. The 35-year-old only arrived on Friday. Getting to know the Finnish snow briefly on Saturday should be enough to acclimatize. The race is "very likely" to be his last in the "home base of Santa Claus", as Hirscher called Levi in a press release.

Marcel Hirscher

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Feller: "You won't find this anywhere else"
Feller has more confidence in the very young Braathen than the neo-Dutchman in his comeback year. "I think Lucas will be very strong again straight away, but I have more confidence in Marcel in the giant slalom."

On the comparatively easy "Levi Black" slope - flat start, crisp steep slope, flat finish - there will be a no-holds-barred race. "The cut was always tight in the first run, you don't see that anywhere else," Feller recalled. You couldn't allow yourself to be more than two seconds behind the leader to qualify for the second run. Feller has never been better than fifth here.