On Monday, Norwegian racer Eirik Hystad Solberg won first place on the podium in the Giant Slalom on the first day of the Alpine Skiing Men’s European Cup. With a time of 1:13.57, he was the fastest on the Avet course in Soldeu. For Solberg, this is his first podium on the European Cup circuit, where he has been competing since 2022, and where he is in 10th position in the overall classification of the discipline. The Norwegian racer was very satisfied after the victory and admitted that the race was “long, technical and very demanding. On the first run, I saw many team-mates that had trouble completing the descent and being able to finish victorious makes me feel good.” For his part, the Swedish racer Mattias Roenngren once again came in in the same position he achieved in the race in Turnau (AUT) last week, where he also finished second. France’s Loevan Parand, who hasn’t made the podium in the European Cup since 2022, finished third, +0.45 behind.

One of the most outstanding performances of the day came from the Catalan racer Aleix Aubert, who managed to take tenth position. The skier from Barcelona explained: “I really enjoyed the descent, although I was exhausted when I crossed the finish because the course is really demanding. Tomorrow, we will give it everything to get a spot on the podium. I thought the course was in great condition. You can see the hard work that has gone into getting it ready”. His team-mate, Albert Ortega, finished in 24th position.

When it comes to the participation of the Andorran racers, Bartumeu Gabriel finished in 38th place, in penultimate place, +8.01 behind the winner. Meanwhile, Àlvar Calvo, despite getting through the first run, was unable to complete the race. FAE Technical Director Roger Vidosa stressed that he is very satisfied with the performances from the two young racers, as they are not frequent competitors on this circuit.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, the competition returns to the Avet course, where practically the same racers will participate in the race, this time with the experience gained from having competed on the demanding Soldeu course on the first day. In fact, one of the aspects that both the skiers and the members of the technical teams highlighted was the preparation and the conditions of the course, which was in prime condition.

The Avet course in Soldeu has once again demonstrated its excellence as a venue for high-level international competitions in hosting the 2025 FIS Alpine Skiing European Cup. With a technical course layout, a demanding slope and unbeatable snow conditions, this course has tested the skill and precision of the athletes, thus reaffirming its international calibre.

PROGRAMME

Tuesday, 4th February 2025

09:30h 1st run

12:30h 2nd run