Andorran Skier Joan Verdú Intensifies Training for Adelboden World Cup Giant Slalom

Andorran skier Joan Verdú is conducting intensive training sessions at Reiteralm in Austria through January 8 to prepare for the World Cup giant slalom in Adelboden, Switzerland, on Saturday, January 10.

Following his 19th-place finish in Alta Badia, Italy—where he collected 12 World Cup points—Verdú returned briefly to Andorra for rest and physical workouts before arriving at Reiteralm on January 3. The resort, a regular stop in his schedule due to its reliable snow conditions, will host the full training block. After concluding there, his team plans to move to Adelboden for a warm-up on Friday, January 9, ahead of the race's morning runs at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

"We'll complete a substantial block of training days to assess the current setup with skis, models, boots—everything—while working in good conditions," Verdú said. He added that such extended sessions had been limited even before the season started in Sölden, expressing confidence in achieving high-quality work during this short window.

Verdú carries 49 World Cup points into Adelboden from his giant slalom results: 22 for 12th in Sölden, 15 for 16th in Copper Mountain, and 12 from Alta Badia. He failed to finish in Beaver Creek or Val d'Isère and sits 23rd in the discipline standings. The Swiss race marks his sixth start of the season and the penultimate before the Winter Olympics on February 14 in Milan-Cortina.

Upcoming fixtures include Schladming, Austria, on January 27—a traditional night event—followed by Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, on March 7, and potentially the World Cup finals in Lillehammer, Norway, on March 24.