Kriechmayr: “It’s no longer possible with 98 percent”

Although Vincent Kriechmayr took second place on the podium in the last men’s World Cup race of 2024 in Bormio yesterday, his joy after the Super-G was not exuberant. “It was a solid ride, partly okay,” said the 33-year-old from Gramastetten, who at the finish was only two tenths of a second behind the Norwegian Fredrik Moeller, who celebrated his first World Cup victory on Sunday. What made Kriechmayr, who was the eighth best ÖSV man in the downhill on Saturday, think in Bormio was probably the shockingly high number of accidents over the weekend, which made one thing clear: the speed specialists are currently not only at the absolute limit, their races also resemble a dance on a razor blade.

When will he hang up his hat?

“You have to attack unconditionally and look for the risk, with 98 percent it’s no longer possible,” said Kriechmayr, who feels the pressure of the “young wild ones” from Norway and especially Switzerland. In the Saturday downhill, Alexis Monney (24) celebrated his debut victory ahead of his Swiss compatriot Franjo von Allmen (23). Kriechmayr: “You’ll have to work hard to be able to stand up to it.” The young guard of the ÖSV also scored World Cup points in Bormio. The team’s leader commented: “I’m in good spirits as soon as I put my hat on that our boys will step up their pace afterwards.” Soon? Kriechmayr: “I’m already 33. As long as I can still get on the podium, I’ll drive. If that’s no longer the case, I won’t be at the start anymore.”

The Bormio weekend also left its mark on Marco Odermatt. The World Cup leader took fifth place in the downhill and super-G. “The most important thing here is to be healthy at the finish. I felt more comfortable on skis,” said the Swiss.

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