The South Tyrolean Christof Innerhofer set the best time in training for the World Cup downhill runs in Wengen yesterday. But there was one big name missing when I first tried the Lauberhorn classic: Vincent Kriechmayr from Mühlviertel. After a positive Corona result, he stayed at home in Austria for the time being.
“Vincent does not have a negative PCR test at the moment, and for this reason he did not take part in the first downhill training session in Wengen today. If there is a negative test, Vincent will travel to Wengen,” the ÖSV announced yesterday on Twitter. If Kriechmayr should also skip today’s second training session (12.30 p.m.), he would not be eligible to start on both runs due to the lack of a training run. At least participation in the Super-G on Thursday (12.30 p.m., live on ORF 1) would still be possible as soon as a negative test result is available.
Matthias Mayer (+0.74 seconds) was fourth behind the Swiss Stefan Rogentin (+0.07) and Beat Feuz (+0.14) yesterday, Max Franz (+1.04) seventh. “In the upper part there are a few curves that are still very soft. Below the slope is perfectly together. That is often the case in the first training session, you will work out the soft snow, then it looks good,” said Mayer.
Daniel Hemetsberger from Nussdorf (32nd place) only knew the shortened European Cup route in Wengen before. “The goal was always shortly after the train underpass. Now I was allowed to drive a minute longer. It was extremely exhausting,” revealed the 30-year-old. Hemetsberger had finished fourth in Bormio shortly before the turn of the year. “Of course it would be a dream if that happened again.” Overall World Cup leader Marco Odermatt started his first run in Wengen cautiously. With 4.70 seconds behind, the Swiss was only 45 in the end.
Kitzbühel wants to allow fans
The organizers of the Hahnenkamm race, which is to take place in the coming week, want to allow 1000 spectators to attend the competitions despite the horrific seven-day incidence. After the “ghost races” last year, you have to “send out a signal”, said the President of the Kitzbühel Ski Club, Michael Huber, yesterday. The 1000 free places are given exclusively to top sponsors and VIP regulars.
Ski World Cup in Wengen, 1st downhill training: 1. Innerhofer (It) 2: 30.84 min., 2. Rogentin (Sz) +0.07 sec, 3. Feuz (Sz) +0.14, 4. Mayer (Ö) +0.74; furthermore: 7. Franz +1.04; 15. Babinsky +2.23; 27. Walder +3.18; 32. Hemetsberger +3.42; not at the start: Kriechmayr (all Austria).
Source: Nachrichten
