Pinturault was unable to make the season start in Sölden in October 2012, as he injured his ankle while playing tennis and had to pause for a three-month period. In December, he won his second World Cup race in a slalom at Val-d'Isère, where he thrilled the home fans with a brilliant second run under the floodlights to rise from sixth place. He convincingly beat Germany's Felix Neureuther by half a second and future World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher, who led by 0.57 seconds after the first run. Pinturault's third win was at the super-combined in Wengen, Switzerland, where his superior slalom skills were key. After placing 22nd in the downhill portion, he finished 1.15 seconds ahead of Ivica Kostelić of Croatia. The training run for the downhill portion was his first time on downhill skis for months, as he missed pre-season speed training after surgery on his left ankle in August to repair ligaments damaged while playing tennis. Pinturault did not medal at the world championships in 2013, but had four top-six finishes. A week later he claimed a fourth World Cup win, his first in giant slalom, at Garmisch, Germany. Second after the first run, Pinturault's total time was 0.60 seconds ahead of runner-up Hirscher. On 15 March, he was honored as the 2013 Longines Rising Star, as the top young racer (under 23) of the season.