Adelboden Giant Slalom World Cup Race
Giant slalom races are often overlooked in favour of their more glamourous downhill and slalom counterparts,
but the Adelboden race is an exception to the rule, a classic race with an iconic finish as the skiers sweep round to face the
final section - a seemingly vertically wall of snow and ice overlooking the finish area in the village, complete with
20,000 fans screaming the racers on.
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It might not be the more popular downhill or slalom, but the giant slalom at Adelboden is still one of the
'classic' ski races on the annual calendar, with the Chuenisbaergli slope a real vafourite amongst racers and fans alike.
The race's position on an early weekend in January is now seen as the opening classic race, quickly followed by the likes of
Wengen and Kitzbuhel.
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The list of winnners of the men's giant slalom event at Adelboden since the event started back in 1958
are as follows:
| Year | Winner | Nationality | Notes |
| 2012 | Marcel Hirscher | Austria | |
| 2011 | Aksel Lund Svindal | Norway | Tie for 1st place - same time! |
| 2011 | Cyprien Richard | France | Tie for 1st place - same time! |
| 2010 | | | Race cancelled |
| 2009 | Benjamin Raich | Austria | |
| 2008 | Marc Berthod | Switzerland | |
| 2007 | Benjamin Raich | Austria | |
| 2006 | Benjamin Raich | Austria | |
| 2005 | Massimiliano Blardone | Italy | |
| 2004 | Kalle Palander | Finland | |
| 2003 | Hans Knauss | Austria | |
| 2002 | Didier Cuche | Switzerland | |
| 2001 | Hermann Maier | Austria | |
| 2000 | | | Race cancelled |
| 1999 | Hermann Maier | Austria | |
| 1998 | Hermann Maier | Austria | |
| 1997 | Kjetil Andre Aamodt | Norway | |
| 1996 | Michael von Grunigen | Switzerland | |
| 1995 | Alberto Tomba | Italy | |
| 1994 | Jan Einar Thorsen | Norway | Race moved to Crans Montana |
| 1993 | Michael von Grunigen | Switzerland | Race moved to Veysonnaz |
| 1992 | Ole Ch. Furuseth | Norway | |
| 1991 | Marc Girardelli | Luxembourg | |
| 1990 | Richard Kroell | Austria | Race moved to Veysonnaz |
| 1989 | Marc Girardelli | Luxembourg | |
| 1988 | Alberto Tomba | Italy | Race moved to Saas-Fee |
| 1987 | Pirmin Zurbriggen | Switzerland | |
| 1986 | Richard Pramotton | Italy | |
| 1985 | Hans Enn | Austria | |
| 1984 | Ingemar Stenmark | Sweden | |
| 1983 | Pirmin Zurbriggen | Switzerland | |
| 1982 | Ingemar Stenmark | Sweden | |
| 1981 | Ingemar Stenmark | Sweden | |
| 1980 | Ingemar Stenmark | Sweden | |
| 1979 | Ingemar Stenmark | Sweden | |
| 1978 | Andreas Wenzel | Liechenstein | |
| 1977 | Heini Hemmi | Switzerland | |
| 1976 | Gustavo Thoeni | Italy | |
| 1975 | Piero Gros | Italy | |
| 1974 | Gustavo Thoeni | Italy | |
| 1973 | Gustavo Thoeni | Italy | |
| 1972 | Werner Mattle | Switzerland | |
| 1971 | Patrick Russel | France | |
| 1970 | Karl Schranz | Austria | |
| 1969 | Jean-Noel Augert | France | |
| 1968 | Jean-Claude Killy | France | |
| 1967 | Jean-Claude Killy | France | |
| 1966 | William Kidd | USA | |
| 1965 | Leo Lacroix | France | |
| 1965 | Edmund Bruggmann | Switzerland | |
| 1964 | | | Race cancelled |
| 1963 | Leo Lacroix | France | |
| 1963 | Georg Grunenfelder | Switzerland | |
| 1962 | | | Race cancelled |
| 1961 | Eberhard Riedel | East Germany | |
| 1960 | Ludwig Leitner | West Germany | |
| 1959 | Fritz Wagnerberger | West Germany | |
| 1958 | Roger Staub | Switzerland | |
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Fast-rising Austrian star Marcel Hirscher claimed victory on the legendary Chuenisbaergli slope at Adelboden, his second giant slalom win of the season following his victory in the second race of the season at Beaver Creek.
Hirscher had been in pole position following the fastest first run, but had to hold his nerve to see off a storming second run by fellow countryman Benjamin Raich, the veteran proving that his comeback from the previous year's serious injury was nearly complete with the fastest second run of the day, his 2nd run time of 1 minute 19.80 was nearly a second faster than Hirscher, but the youngster had an extra 0.08 seconds in the locker from the 1st run.
It would have been a remarkable victory for Raich but probably one that we shouldn't have been surprised at, seeing as though he has a fantastic record at Adelboden, having won the GS here 3 times between 2006 and 2009.
Massimiliano Blardone completed the podium, a further 0.20 seconds behind Raich following two fine runs.
Championship leader Ted Ligety didn't have his best day at the office considering his high standards but still came in fourth, missing out on apodium by just four hundredths of a second, whilst there was then quite a big gap back to
French racer Cyprien Richard in fifth.
Over half a meter of snow had fallen in Adelboden on the days leading up to the race, and course workers had worked their socks off to clear the snow, even the Swiss army had been brought in to help out, yet still the Swiss supporters turned up in their tens of thousands for the most famous giant slalom on the circuit. Conditions were still testing, and affected some of the times in the second run, but given the amount of snow that had fallen the Chuenisbaergli slope was in a remarkable condition.
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