Beaver Creek (United States) (AFP) – French skier Alexis Pinturault will not start the opening World Cup downhill of the season at Beaver Creek on Friday as he returns from an injury layoff, the French Ski Federation (FFS) confirmed. The 2021 overall World Cup winner “wishes to come back later when he feels more competitive in this discipline,” the FFS said.
Pinturault, 33, ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a heavy fall at the super-G in Wengen, Switzerland, mid-January. The three-time Olympic medallist, who has 34 World Cup wins, placed 44th in Tuesday’s first official practice session at the Colorado resort and 56th on Thursday.
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On Wednesday, Pinturault said he was approaching his return to competition with “apprehension.” “There was also fear (in training), it was the first time that I was again faced with speeds above 120 km/h (74 mph), with new terrain movements. This is not the easiest piste to return on,” he said.
Pinturault remains uncertain for Saturday’s super-G, but could return in Sunday’s giant slalom.
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