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SELVA DI VAL GARDENA, Italy (AP) — The distinctive fusion delicacies mixing Italian and Austrian delicacies. Spectacular 360-degree surroundings with jagged mountain peaks in every single place you look. Loads of sunshine all winter.
There are many the explanation why Aleksander Aamodt Kilde loves snowboarding in Val Gardena, a resort within the coronary heart of the Dolomites Vary.
None larger than a downhill course that World Cup racers commonly rank because the “most enjoyable to ski” on your entire circuit due to the excessive speeds, massive jumps and different terrain.
Currently, although, no person on the circuit has been having fun with himself extra in Val Gardena than Kilde, who gained a super-G on Friday for his third consecutive victory on the Saslong — stretching again to his sweep of the super-G and downhill final 12 months.
4 of Kilde’s 9 profession World Cup victories have are available in Val Gardena.
No marvel it’s his favourite course, popping out on high over his house downhill in Kvitfjell, Norway, and even the extra well-known races in Wengen, Switzerland, and Kitzbühel, Austria.
“In the event you take a look at my monitor file, I can’t say anything,” Kilde stated. “I’ve additionally a enjoyable time in different programs however I simply love the snow right here, I like the vibes, and I like the terrain. Additionally, all the pieces right here is unbelievable. It seems like house.”
Combining with the now retired Aksel Lund Svindal and the lately injured Kjetil Jansrud, Norwegians have now gained eight of the final 10 super-Gs in Val Gardena.
“It’s a particular place. We prefer to ski right here, now we have a good time and likewise within the lodge we get good meals, we get the service we’d like and it’s unbelievable,” Kilde stated.
Austrian skiers Matthias Mayer and Vincent Kriechmayr completed second and third, respectively.
Mayer, who will probably be aiming for his third consecutive gold medal in as many Olympics on the Beijing Video games in February, completed 0.22 seconds behind. Kriechmayr, who swept gold in super-G and downhill finally season’s world championships, was an extra 0.05 behind in a race that was held in excellent situations.
Mayer was the final of the highest racers to begin and he had the identical time as Kilde by means of the ultimate checkpoint however couldn’t match the Norwegian on the steep ending pitch.
“I believed he was going to beat me within the end,” Kilde stated. “However I’m right here now and that’s superior.”
Kilde had already sensed that his was a particular run, holding up a finger within the No. 1 place within the end space earlier than bowing to the group.
“In the event you take a look at the occasions, it was a fairly clean run,” Kilde stated. “I had perhaps one flip I might have completed a greater job. Within the center there. However general, my plan was cash and it was superior to ski at the moment.”
Kilde gained the general title in 2019-20, then had final season lower quick when he tore his ACL throughout a coaching crash in January. The principle factor lacking in Kilde’s profession is a significant championship medal — a gap he’ll purpose to fill on the Beijing Video games.
General World Cup chief Marco Odermatt completed twenty fourth however nonetheless maintained a 63-point benefit over Mayer. Kilde is third general, 124 factors behind.
“He has a very good mix of (skills),” Ryan Cochran-Siegle, the highest American finisher in ninth, stated of Kilde. “He’s an excellent glider however he’s additionally extremely highly effective and he’s capable of stability between these two elements. He can keep aero however he can ski confidently and ski aggressive.”
Kilde is relationship American standout Mikaela Shiffrin, who will compete in a super-G in Val d’Isere, France, on Sunday.
Would possibly Kilde have any super-G ideas for his girlfriend?
“Effectively, I’ll give her them myself,” he stated. “I’m not going to share with you.”
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Extra AP snowboarding: https://apnews.com/hub/snowboarding and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Andrew Dampf is at https://twitter.com/AndrewDampf
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