The overture on Friday is a Super-G, which was new territory for everyone last year, the descent then rises on Saturday (each 12.30 p.m. / live ORF 1), followed by the slalom on Sunday. As the downhill winner in 2019 and 2022, Kriechmayr is once again a hot tip for the winners in the two speed competitions. “Of course you want to perform and the adrenaline rises a lot more,” said the 31-year-old about his next encounter with a myth.
The time for “thigh slappers” has come
last year it was in doubt for a long time that he would even be able to start. Because after submitting a positive corona test, the Upper Austrian first had to sit out the quarantine and arrived in the mountain village just in time to compete in the Super-G, which was only held for the second time in Wengen, without training.
The start permission was viewed critically by other associations, FIS race director Markus Waldner had to explain the rules in detail several times. On Saturday, Kriechmayr then celebrated his tenth World Cup victory in the downhill. “I would also have liked to train last year, then I wouldn’t have screwed up the first descent,” he recalled. “The good thing is, if you’ve been there long enough, then you already know the track so well that a visit or training is no longer so important.”
The weather as a decisive factor
The weather could be a decisive factor this year: Further precipitation has been announced for Friday and Sunday, and whether it will rain or snow is not really foreseeable. “Both situations are not advantageous,” said Kriechmayr, who is in good spirits: “It should be great on Saturday.”
After the resignation of Matthias Mayer, Kriechmayr is the leading figure of the ÖSV downhill racers, even if he wouldn’t call himself that. “We share the task quite well, if that’s a task at all. Because we don’t even know what we have to do there. Of course we will miss the ‘Mothl’ sorely. He was our leader, he went ahead. “
Petra Kronberger spoke about Mayer’s resignation
The Wengen atmosphere is a unique selling point in the World Cup for Kriechmayr. “The backdrop when the weather is nice, the Patrouille Suisse – from that point at the latest you realize that it’s something special, that it’s an important race. There’s a lot of euphoria, but also a certain fear of the myth,” explained the 31- year-old who won two downhills in Val Gardena and Bormio this winter.
Hemetsberger is not a fan of the Super-G in Wengen
Daniel Hemetsberger was second on the podium in Lake Louise, in Bormio he was fourth in Super-G. In Gröden, however, he was eliminated and missed the points in the second descent. And according to the Upper Austrian himself, he has similar problems in Wengen as there. “There are many such brutally long corners, a bit hanging. That’s where I have my weaknesses. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to improve it since Val Gardena,” he said. In the Super-G he lacks consistency even more than in the downhill. “Getting to the point is still the problem.” Due to the characteristics of the track, he is “not necessarily a fan of a Super-G in Wengen”.
Not much has worked out for Otmar Striedinger so far this season. A top ten result is still pending, he was closest in Val Gardena with two twelfth places. The Carinthian wants to use the classics in Wengen and in Kitzbühel the following week. “These are the races I still ski for. If they didn’t exist anymore, it wouldn’t be so fun for us,” he said. “Now I drive every race for myself and give my best in every race.”
Penultimate run by Feuz
Beat Feuz is the winner of three Lauberhorn descents. The Olympic champion from Switzerland, who last won here in 2020, will end his career in Kitzbühel. “Hopefully there will be a cool and nice race on Saturday. But even if it didn’t happen like that, nothing would change for me, I would have very good memories of Wengen,” he emphasized. There is no pressure: “Whether I finish tenth or first here, that doesn’t change anything in my career. But of course, I want to be quick again, otherwise I wouldn’t have said that I wanted to drive again in Wengen and Kitzbühel.”
Overall World Cup leaders Marco Odermatt and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde from Norway are hot picks for the winners in both speed races. Definitely not at the start is “super oldie” Johan Clarey. The 42-year-old had to do without “personal reasons”, as the French Ski Association announced in a short message.
more from alpine skiing
ÖSV snowboarders celebrate their next home win in Bad Gastein
Liensberger was also happy when Vlhova won in Flachau
Kriechmayr: “A dream setting”
Wengen: Slalom specialist is the best Austrian in downhill training
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I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
