Morgins – After one year, the WÜRTH MODYF ISMF World Cup is back in region Dents du Midi. Originally the stop was supposed to be in the first half of January, but due to the lack of snow, the race was moved to the beginning of February.
The race programme has stayed the same. Three races in four days and one free day before the Individual race will add serious fire to the battle for the World Cup. Only in Switzerland and at the World Cup Finals in Tromso, Norway, will we see all three points-awarded disciplines – Sprint, Vertical and Individual.
Sprint and Vertical – afternoon business
The first competition of the World Cup week in Morgins will be on Tuesday afternoon. The flattish and fast Sprint race will suit the biggest speedsters.
Home athlete Arno Lietha has won both sprints this season and will be the biggest favourite tomorrow in the men’s race. Oriol Cardona Coll was faster than him in the Morgins last year. Although the Spaniard hasn’t been in a final this season, he won three national titles the previous weekend and is hungry for World Cup success.
The women’s race has no clear favourite. Marianne Fatton returns after two missed stages. Emily Harrop didn’t start in Andorra because of a broken rib. She practically lost the chance to defend her overall triumph, but the small globe for the sprint is still in play.
The live broadcast of the Sprint race will start at 15:30 CET. Join us on TV.ISMF-SKI.ORG.
The action will continue on Wednesday with the second Vertical of the season. Two kilometres and 520 vertical metres with a steep part right before the finish line have its favourites in both genders. Rémi Bonnet wants to grab another victory, especially at home. French athlete Axelle Gachet-Mollaret has no competition, and it would be a huge surprise if she didn’t finish first.
Technical downhills and wonderful scenery
The Swiss stop of the World Cup will end on Friday with the Individual race. The course will be familiar to competitors from last year as it is mostly similar. The women’s course will have four uphills 1325 D+. Men will have one more uphill and 1575 D+ in total.
The weather forecast promises icy conditions, especially on the downhills, as most of them will be in the shade. Therefore, the winners of Friday’s races will have to be very efficient downhill.
You can watch the Sprint race on Friday from 15:30 (CET) live on TV.ISMF-SKI.ORG.
