Cochran-Siegle Puts Up a Fight in Slovenia

KRANJSKA GORA, Slovenia (March. 5, 2016) – Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT) put up a tough fight to finish in the top 30 of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup giant slalom Saturday. Austria’s Marcel Hirscher won the race, ending the four-win streak of France’s Alexis Pinturault.

“I just tried to be as clean as possible, but the snow conditions were tough,” said Cochran-Siegle, who started 35th and posted the 20th-fastest first run time. “I managed to ski it pretty well, considering, so I’m pretty happy with that.”

However, the second run proved a tougher challenge as Cochran-Siegle ran into all sorts of difficulty. “My hand hit a hole and I lost a pole,” he said. “And then I just kind of scrambled after that and went too straight into another gate.” After hiking to make a gate in order to post an official result, Cochran-Siegle finished in the top 30, but 11.90 seconds out of first, meaning he finished out of the points. 

"The big challenge today was the flat light, so the athletes could not see the bumps ... In my opinion, it was one of the toughest GS race of the season, especially on the first run," said Head Coach Sasha Rearick. "But Ryan Cochran-Siegle, hats off to him. He’s had a tremendous two year return battle from injury—this year, getting back on snow for the first time."

Meanwhile, Hirscher took a commanding lead in the overall World Cup standings as he snapped Pinturault’s giant slalom win streak at four. Pinturault settled for second, while Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen finished third. Hirscher extended his overall World Cup lead from 293 to 333 points over Kristoffersen. Hirscher also extended his overall World Cup giant slalom lead to 111 points over Pinturault with one giant slalom race remaining, clinching the GS globe.

As for the other Americans, it was a tough day battling the snow conditions. Tim Jitloff (Reno, NV) finished 37th and Brennan Rubie (Salt Lake City, UT) was 40th in the first run and did not qualify for the second run. Tommy Ford (Reno, NV), Kieffer Christianson (Anchorage, AK), David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO) and Samuel Dupratt (Dixon, CA) did not finish the first run.

Up next, the men race slalom Sunday in Kranjska Gora. The race will broadcast live on NBC Sports Live Extra.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Marcel Hirscher won his fourth giant slalom of the season and clinched the GS globe. 
• It is his fourth GS title.
• Hirscher also leads the overall World Cup standings by 333 points over Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen.
• Ryan Cochran-Siegle put up a tough fight to finish in the top 30 for the first time, in only his fourth World Cup GS start.

QUOTES

Ryan Cochran-Siegle
My hand hit a hole and I lost a pole. Then I just kind of scrambled after that and went too straight into another gate. I just tried to be as clean as possible, but the snow conditions were tough. I managed to ski it pretty well, considering, so I’m pretty happy with that.

Sasha Rearick, Head Coach
Today’s conditions were tough. They did a good job preparing the hill—watering last night and letting it sit. It was hard and very bumpy. The big challenge today was the flat light, so the athletes could not see the bumps. But you have to ski aggressive in nature and forward in balance and with a mentality of attacking it. If you did that, the bumps weren’t that bad. But to do that took tremendous courage. If you were defensive at all, the bumps just beat you up. We saw a lot of athletes struggle with that across the board. In my opinion, it was one of the toughest GS race of the season, especially on the first run.

From our athletes side, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, hats off to him. He’s had a tremendous two year return battle from injury—this year, getting back on snow for the first time. He has been skiing progressively better with movements, position. He’s skiing the same line as Pinturault and he’s in a similar position on his skis. His challenge was that he wasn’t committing to the edge. Second run he made one particularly big mistake, but I was so stoked to see him fight to the bottom.

Tommy Ford also showed tremendous courage today—unfortunately went out right at the bottom. But his skiing was a demonstration of fast skiing we know he can do. He was right in there to be a top 15/top 17 run. 

Broadcast and Live Streaming (times EST)

Saturday, March 5
2:30 p.m. Men’s giant slalom, Kranjska Gora – Universal HD

Sunday, March 6
3:30 a.m. Men’s slalom run 1, Kranjska Gora - LIVE - NBC Sports Live Extra
6:30 a.m. Men’s slalom run 2, Kranjska Gora - LIVE - NBC Sports Live Extra
2:30 p.m. Men’s slalom, Kranjska Gora – Universal HD

RESULTS
Men’s giant slalom