Alpine skiing: Season over for French star Grange
Paris (AFP) – Reigning World Cup slalom champion Jean-Baptiste Grange will not compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics after being ruled out for the rest of the season injured, his coach David Chastan told AFP on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old, the top medal hope for the French alpine skiing team in Vancouver in February, injured his right knee during the giant slalom in Beaver Creek, Colorado on Sunday.
“He ruptured his cruciate ligament. That requires surgery,” the technical team coach explained. “He felt a crack on the fifth gate on the first leg in the giant slalom and as a precautionary measure didn’t start the second.”
After Grange’s return from the United States “he was under no illusions, he already had the first diagnosis and we were awaiting the second,” added Chastan after they visited a specialist in Lyon.
Grange has 13 podium finishes to his name, including six World Cup wins, and a bronze medal at the 2007 world championships.
The French team will also be without giant slalom specialist Thomas Fanara, who injured his left knee during a spectacular fall in the second leg of Sunday’s race. Fanara underwent surgery on the same knee two years ago.
“We’re taking this in without panicking, but it’s really unlucky. We’ve lost two important team members for France including the group leader,” said Chastan.
“He (Grange) was in good form as he proved at the beginning of the season with noteably a podium at Levi (Finland).”
