Vincent Kriechmayr has come back impressively after a period of weakness and celebrated his eleventh World Cup victory in Courchevel, where the Ski World Championships will take place next year. It was the second of this season, the second in the downhill after the triumph at the classic in Wengen. “It’s a beautiful story. I really wanted to show what I’m capable of,” said the 30-year-old Gramastettner.
“It was actually always my fault that it didn’t go before. I have to take it upon myself. I messed up a lot of races due to many mistakes,” said Kriechmayr, as usual, self-critical.
“How did you do that?”
Yesterday he was unbeatable – not even by the strong Swiss around the second-placed overall World Cup winner Marco Odermatt and third Beat Feuz, who ultimately only missed his fifth small crystal ball in the downhill by 13 points. The race was made by Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (North), who finished fourth immediately ahead of Daniel Hemetsberger.
The 30-year-old from Nußdorf drew a very satisfactory balance. “It was a perfect finish. I hope that I can still improve for next year and make it all the way up the stairs. The level in the men’s downhill is unbelievable. As you saw in Kvitfjell, up to number 50 is the Quality there, winning races. That strikes out the class of Beat, Aleks, Vinc and Mothl, who are in the top five in every race. That’s sensational, I want to go there too,” said Hemetsberger, eighth in the downhill World Cup.
Kilde beamed with the little crystal ball. “I’m really happy, it was an incredible season – really awesome and cool,” said the 29-year-old, who had two reasons to be happy yesterday. Because his partner Mikaela Shiffrin made a giant step towards the overall World Cup victory with her 74th World Cup victory. The American won the last descent, in which the top seven were only separated by 28 hundredths, and extended her lead over her competitor Petra Vlhova to 156 points. The Slovak went home empty-handed in 16th place.
“You can say that it was a perfect day for me. Luck was also on my side, maybe the underground got a little better with the later numbers. In addition, the light came out, visibility was good,” explained Shiffrin, who therefore has her first match ball in today’s Super-G (10 a.m., ORF 1). Kilde firmly believes in his queen of hearts, whom he greets after their hussar ride with a heartfelt hug and the words “Incredible – how did you actually do that?” received in the target.
Scheyer shone in second
Kilde’s relaxed attitude is no coincidence. Today (11.30 a.m., ORF 1) he can contest the Super-G free of pressure: The next small ball can no longer be taken from the “Super-Elch”. He dethroned Kriechmayr in this discipline.
In the women’s category, Federica Brignone is the Italian Super-G shot winner. Yesterday, compatriot Sofia Goggia did not let anyone take the butter off her bread in the downhill. Twelfth place was sufficient because rival Corinne Suter (Sui/19th) did not score.
Christine Scheyer is not qualified for today’s Super-G, but she still had a big grin on her face: The woman from Vorarlberg finished second in the downhill, just a tenth behind Shiffrin. “I didn’t expect that, I’m very happy and proud.”
Source: Nachrichten
