ADELBODEN, Switzerland: Loic Meillard led a strong challenge by the home Switzerland team on Saturday in the first run of a World Cup giant slalom marred by American racer Tommy Ford’s serious crash.
Meillard was 0.30 seconds faster than Alexis Pinturault, the World Cup overall standings leader from France who won Friday’s race on the same course.
Marco Odermatt, the emerging Swiss star who leads the season-long giant slalom standings, was third, with 0.70 to make up on teammate Meillard in the afternoon run.
Four home racers placed in the top 10 chasing Switzerlands first win in its classic giant slalom since 2008.
Saturdays race was 54 years to the day since Adelboden staged a giant slalom in the first week of the debut World Cup season. That day, French great Jean-Claude Killy got his first win.
Meillard wore start bib No. 1 and got first use of an icy course lit by bright sunshine on a clear day.
Minutes later, Ford crashed three gates from the finish line and slid down the hill on his neck and shoulder before stopping.
The 31-year-old American lay motionless for several seconds before Swiss television reported that he was speaking to medical and race staff attending to him.
Ford was airlifted by helicopter to the hospital and the race resumed after a 30-minute pause.
The Adelboden giant slalom typically draws a noisy crowd of 25,000. It began Saturday with no paying spectators during the coronavirus pandemic and just a few people watching from the neighboring slopes and chalets.
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