Alpine Skiing news - Heartbreak for Dave Ryding as Henrik Kristoffersen takes victory in Levi

Updated 24/11/2019 at 15:39 GMT

Henrik Kristoffersen won the first World Cup slalom event of the season in Levi but it was heartbreak for Great Britain Dave Ryding as he crashed out during the second run.

Clement Noel (2nd) of France, winner Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway and third placed Daniel Yule of Switzerland pose after the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup men's slalom event at the Levi ski resort in Kittilä, Finnish Lapland on November 24, 2019

Image credit: Getty Images

After the first run Ryding sat in second, just behind France’s Clement Noel, with Kristoffersen one of those who had time to make up on the leading pair.

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And the Norwegian did exactly that, flying down the course in difficult conditions to go into the lead ahead of the final three riders.

Levi

Dave Ryding excited for British skiing’s future but ready to seize own moment now

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Superb Kristoffersen wins in Levi

Ryding started brilliantly, at one stage he was set to put in a terrific time, but he lost control and when he pushed harder to make time back he fell.

Dave Ryding crashes out at second attempt

It put the onus onto 22-year-old Noel, who followed almost the exact same path as Ryding.

The only difference was that he stayed on his feet, but he still couldn’t catch Kristoffersen.

Noel has to settle for second as Kristoffersen celebrates

It was a big improvement for Kristoffersen from the Giant Slalom in Soelden where he was hugely disappointing.

"Today was a good day, it was definitely a step in the right direction," Kristoffersen said afterwards.

"Super happy about the skiing down the piste in the second run, I was on the limit there’s still things you can do better but I’m really happy to start off like this

Kristoffersen delighted to get back on track after Soelden

"I lost a lot of time on the flats in both runs but that’s how it is and we still have some work to do but quite happy with the day."

He acknowledged his early struggles and thanked the numerous Norwegians who had come to watch him.

Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway takes 1st place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men's Slalom on November 24, 2019 in Levi Finland.

Image credit: Getty Images

"I don’t know it’s kind of a home race because there’s a lot of Norwegians here and it’s not that far from the border,

"So I’m super happy that they’re here and watching and after Soelden was a terrible start to the season but after that we’ve shown that we’re in okay shape. There are still things to improve but it’s looking okay."

Switzerland’s Daniel Yule rounded off the top three just ahead of compatriot Ramon Zenhaeusern.

Both ends of the age spectrum followed them for Sweden as former World Cup champion Andre Myhrer led home the promising Kristoffer Jakobsen, who clocked the best time of the second run.

OUR VIEW

By his own admission Kristoffersen was way below par at Soelden, this is a guy who is supposed to one of the new kings of skiing following the retirement of Marcel Hirscher.

This was much more like it and sets him perfectly going into the rest of the season.

WATCH - Kristoffersen and Noel's runs back-to-back

For Dave Ryding it was a case of what might have been, again.

His first run, and the first half of his second run, was superb, it's just about finding that consistency. It's early days for The Rocket though and he has to take the positives.

FIRST RUN REPORT

Great Britain’s Dave Ryding put in a fantastic performance on Sunday to sit second after the first run of the slalom in Levi.

Ryding came into the new season looking, like many others, to take advantage of the retirement of the legendary Marcel Hirscher.

He told Eurosport ahead of the race that he wanted to take more risks and in his first race of the new season it was already clear that he would live up to those promises.

Ryding put in an opening time 54.94 which was only bested by France’s Clement Noel who clocked a time of 54.55.

Blistering Ryding goes second behind Noel

Noel also lived up to his billing with many tipping the highly talented 22-year-old to take the slalom title in Hirscher’s absence this season.

Clement Noel leads the way after first run

It was a tougher outing for his team-mates Alexis Pinturault, the World Cup leader coming into the weekend, and Victor Muffat-Jeandet, who struggled to get to grips with the piste and neither made the cut for the second run.

Austria’s Manuel Feller was another who will be disappointed with his performance, although given his wife gave birth around a week after the Giant Slalom in Soelden he can be forgiven.

Switzerland’s Ramon Zenhaeusern and Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen sit just behind Ryding. Kristoffersen will be desperate to pick up the pace in the second run after a disappointing performance a few weeks ago in Soelden.

Levi

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