Norway’s Timon Haugan delivered a masterful performance on the iconic Face de Bellevarde today, charging from second after the first run to claim victory in the men’s slalom with a combined time of 1:37.89. Overcoming reported back issues, the 29-year-old edged out Switzerland’s Loïc Meillard by 0.28 seconds, while compatriot Henrik Kristoffersen secured third, 0.34 seconds back.
In a race marked by intense competition and Norwegian dominance in the top positions, Haugan – who trailed Meillard by just 0.05 seconds after the morning run – produced a brilliant second descent to seal his sixth World Cup victory (five in slalom and one team parallel event). This win also propelled him into the lead of the slalom discipline standings, donning the red bib.
Meillard, fresh off winning Saturday’s giant slalom and leading a Swiss podium sweep, nearly made it back-to-back victories but had to settle for silver despite holding the first-run lead. “It was a great fight today,” Meillard reflected, acknowledging the tight margins on the demanding course.
Kristoffersen’s bronze marked another strong result for the Norwegian team, which placed four skiers in the top positions early on. Italy’s Alex Vinatzer delivered an impressive comeback to finish fourth.
This result caps a stellar weekend for Haugan, who finished fourth in yesterday’s giant slalom, and underscores Norway’s strength in technical events heading into the holiday break. The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup continues with speed events in Val Gardena/Gröden and Alta Badia next weekend.
