Alexis Pinturault is the most successful French ski racer of all time.
He made his World Cup debut at 17 and has since won 34 World Cup races, representing France at six World Championships and three Winter Olympics (winning two medals).
Iain Martin from The Ski Podcast spoke to him at the start of the 2022/23 winter season:
ITS> You were very talented at football when you were younger. If things had gone differently, might you have been playing at the World Cup with France?
AP> I was a central defender, doing well, but I had to choose between soccer and skiing. I always felt better in an individual sport: it suits my character better.
ITS> The World Alpine Ski Championships in 2023 take place in your home town of Courchevel. Have you skied the course in Courchevel before?
AP> No, it’s a new slope and new for me. I’ve not trained or raced there apart from the test event, so I don’t have any advantage over the other skiers.
ITS> If you had to choose between winning the Crystal Globe [awarded to overall World Cup champion] or gold in the World Champs, which would you choose?
AP> Gold in Courchevel would be unbelievable, especially as I have won the Crystal Globe before [in 2021].
ITS> You have your own event called “Winter Legacy” taking place in Courchevel in April. Can you tell us about it?
AP> It’s a multi-discipline family event. You start at Col de la Loze and finish in the Emile Allais race stade, with race sections including a GS, Super G, Boardercross, Moguls and a waterslide at the finish!
Image Credits Red Bull
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