Sensation victory for Albert Popow: Bulgarian triumphs at the Ski World Cup!

Sensation victory for Albert Popow: Bulgarian triumphs at the Ski World Cup!

In a gripping night full of emotions and dramatic twists, Albert Popow from Bulgaria won his first World Cup victory in the slalom of Madonna di Campiglio. The 27-year-old athlete not only overcame the competition, but also the shadow of his past. In 2015, Popow survived a horrendous car accident as a passenger, in which his trainer was killed. He can be proud of it: "I was lucky that I could ski and win today," emphasized the newly baked winner, who was last as third on the podium in March 2023, but felt this victory as his first. According to the reports from OE24, it was a truly fairytale event for the Bulgarians.

ÖSV team remains without a chance

Unfortunately, the evening was less glamorous for the Austrian Ski team. Manuel Feller, who was one of the favorites, left in the final, although he presented a top time in the first round. Marco Schwarz, the previous year's winner, could not score. Fabio Grein, the best Austrian runner that day, finished the race in tenth place. The smallest mistakes can be of crucial importance in the Ski World Cup. So it happened that Feller reacted too late after a supposedly strong run in the steep slope and ultimately out. "I did everything possible to drive quickly," he said disappointed afterwards, as reported by the Kleine Zeitung.

The podium places of the two other surprise winners, the Swiss Loic Meillard and the Croatian Samuel Kolega, who only landed wafer -thin behind Popow, enjoyed in podium. Meillard took the lead in the Slalom World Cup from Henrik Kristoffersen, while Marco Odermatt still leads the overall World Cup. Already next Saturday the Bernese Oberland will continue with the next slalom. The upcoming competitions offer hope for better results for the powerful Austrians.