Von Grünigen confident ahead of Adelboden
Michael von Grünigen says he is in confident mood ahead of Tuesday's giant slalom race in the Swiss resort of Adelboden, an event which could see him clinch the overall giant slalom title on home snow.
Von Grünigen put himself in a commanding position on Saturday when he won his third giant slalom race of the season. His victory in Les Arcs was especially notable for the size of his winning margin.
Reflecting on a performance which saw him cross the line more than a second and a half ahead of Austria’s Benjamin Raich, Von Grünigen was clearly looking forward to his first race of the season in Switzerland.
“I can’t say how I built up such a big gap,” he said. “But I do know that it has boosted my confidence enormously for Adelboden.”
“It’s my course,” he continued. “I am at home there. But I also know that it will be very tricky, because the piste there is the most demanding of the season.”
There are still three races remaining on the giant slalom calendar, but a win in Adelboden could see Von Grünigen take the title early. If the Swiss number one wins on Tuesday, only Austria’s Hermann Maier would have any chance of catching him.
If Von Grünigen wins and Maier fails to finish in the top nine, the Swiss skier will be out of reach and free to celebrate with his friends, family and a few thousand supporters.
swissinfo with agencies
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.