Olympic champ Clement Noel prevails in Kitzbuhel for 4th World Cup slalom victory of season

Olympic champion Clement Noel won his fourth World Cup slalom of the season Sunday in Kitzbuhel, Austria, triumphing after first-run leaders Timon Haugan and Steven Amiez both faltered on one of the most challenging courses on the circuit.

Noel climbed from fourth position to win the race, 0.09 seconds ahead of Alex Vinatzer of Italy while Lucas Pinheiro Braathen was 0.19 behind in third to earn his second podium result since his switch to the Brazilian federation.

Haugan, a one-time winner this season, posted the fastest time in the opening run but the Norwegian skied out of his second even before reaching the first split time. Amiez also fell early in his second run but the Frenchman still completed the course and ended at the back of the field.

The outcome left Noel as the only skier with more than one slalom victory this season.

"Kitzbuhel has been my favourite for a really long time," said the Frenchman, who previously won the classic race in the Austrian resort in 2019.

"That was six years ago, and then I struggled a lot on this hill the last few races here. So, it's really crazy for me to win here today."

WATCH | Noel wins 4th World Cup slalom this season:

France's Clement Noel tops slalom podium for 4th win of the season

Noel's triumph came with the Alpine skiing world championships nearing at another Austrian venue, Saalbach-Hinterglemm, where the men's slalom is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 16.

"Of course, my biggest goal of the season are still the world championships, but Kitzbuhel is close behind. This is so important for me," Noel said.

Pinheiro Braathen, starting for Brazil this season after leaving the Norwegian federation and taking a year off, previously finished third in a slalom in Beaver Creek,