Challenging conditions on the Face de Bellevarde above Val d'Isere on Saturday proved too much for some of the world's best skiers competing in the first World Cup Siant Slalom race of the season on Saturday.
However despite significant snowfall falling during the race, Swiss skier Marco Odermatt took his third consecutive victory on the Bellevarde (2"13'93), winning by almost a second (0.98') over Austria's Marco Scharz.
However one of the biggest cheers was for Andorra's Joan Verdu (+1.32), who took Andorra's first ever GS podium, from a start place of 19th. Despite facing a course cut up by previous racers in both of his runs, Verdu managed to hold his nerve ands avoid unforced errors to post the third best overall time.
The GS was actually only the second of nine Men's World Cup ski races to successfully be staged with previous competitions in Solden, Zermatt and Beaver Creek all cancelled due to various issues including too much snow, low visibility and/or strong winds.
Only one race had been successfully staged, a slalom at Obergurgl last month, with the second slalom of the season, on the second day at Val d'Isere, de to take place today, Sunday 10th December.
