Kristoffersen is fuming with anger: "Ridiculous!"

The giant slalom in Schladming took place on Tuesday evening in extreme conditions. This led to an outburst from Henrik Kristoffersen, who didn't mince words.

27 January 2026

From: leo

Wearing bib number 1 in skiing usually comes with a slight advantage – but not on Tuesday in the giant slalom in Schladming. The reason: the completely icy snow surface. The athlete who opened the race on the Planai and repeatedly lost his footing due to the slippery conditions was Henrik Kristoffersen. After crossing the finish line, the Norwegian smiled sarcastically. It quickly became clear why: the conditions suited the ski star perfectly. as 19th, over two seconds behind the halftime leader Lucas Braathen lost, not at all.

"I don't know whether to laugh or cry," the 31-year-old said into the microphone of the Norwegian broadcaster. Viaplay“But I can’t say anything more after Wengen. Markus Waldner (the FIS race director, ed.) has muzzled me.” Flashback: After Kristoffersen complained bitterly about the slope preparation in Wengen, he received a warning from the South Tyrolean. “Next time there will be a hefty penalty,” said Waldner, who was particularly annoyed with Kristoffersen. the Norwegian's "aggressive" communication style had not liked it.

Braathen speaks of war

Kristoffersen didn't hold back his criticism on Tuesday evening. "It's completely ridiculous. I've never raced in a World Cup giant slalom where it was so slippery. It's like driving on ice with summer tires. Simple as that. People can imagine it for themselves," the 33-time World Cup winner emphasized. When asked how he felt, Kristoffersen replied, "I can't say that out loud on television. Unfortunately."

Lucas Braathen sounds like he's in the lead. © APA / ERWIN SCHERIAU

Kristoffersen considered not starting the second run. He wasn't sure if he wanted to or if he should only ski as a protest. Atle Lie McGrath also spoke frankly. "It's an ice rink and pretty awful. I constantly lacked grip; my skis kept slipping out from under me." Even the leader, Lucas Braathen, said: "It's impossible to feel good on a surface like that. It was a war from top to bottom."

Keywords Winter sports Alpine skiing Henrik kristoffersen Schladming