It clicked in Daniel Hemetsberger’s only 26th World Cup race. The 30-year-old from Nußdorf could not prevent the Swiss double triumph by Beat Feuz and Marco Odermatt in the second Kitzbühel descent, but he gave the ÖSV a conciliatory finish with the only podium place, the first in his roller coaster career 82nd Hahnenkamm race.
“It’s an absolute dream, it’s unbelievable,” rejoiced Hemetsberger, who – thrown back by many injuries (including four cruciate ligament tears) – only got his first World Cup points on March 7, 2020 as 15th from Kvitfjell. At that time he was already 28 and had already been written off by many.
Now the Upper Austrian is one of the absolute top speed stars in the world. With five top ten finishes, including two fourth and one third place, “Heme” has literally forced his way into the red-white-red Olympic team.
“The cool thing is that I didn’t deal with the Winter Games at all. I mean, if you start the season as 22nd in the world rankings, the probability is not very high in such a strong Austrian team. I’m happy that I doing relatively well now,” explained Hemetsberger after his coup.
- OO Today: Hemetsberger on the podium in Kitzbühel
drastic process
“Two years ago I radically changed everything with a mental trainer and nutrition expert,” reported the native of Vöcklabruck. “I thought that could push me up in terms of performance – in fact it has.” Hemetsberger didn’t want to go into detail, just this much: Sugar is on the personal prohibited list.
Still, life is sweet. A Kitzbühel pedestal is at the top of the hit list for the “stand-up man”, and the bronze chamois should eventually become a gold one. “I would like to win a descent here on the Streif. That is the ultimate for every downhill skier. And as an Austrian at home, I really want that,” Hemetsberger sets the bar high.
On Saturday, the optimism was still limited, when the start number was assigned, only the “1” remained for the experienced driver, i.e. that of the supposed snowplough. “Absolutely full cheese, sh…”, he had thought, and then apparently completely unimpressed to blow the attack. The trembling in the finish area was harder than the race.
Hemetsberger didn’t want to be congratulated until the race was over. “I wobbled around in the finish area for an hour and was extremely nervous.” No wonder. He didn’t want to finish fourth for the third time – especially not here in Kitzbühel.
The “Ball Lightning”
In the end, the surprise, which is not for insiders, was perfect and Hemetsberger’s shout of joy could be heard right into the town center. Champion Beat Feuz celebrated his success more calmly, the top floor is not new territory for the “Kugelblitz”.
The Swiss has won a downhill run on the Streif for the third time and has 16 World Cup victories. Besides, there are more important things in life. Daughter Luisa saw the light of day a week ago yesterday. “It’s the most beautiful experience there is. Something like that inspires you,” said Feuz, who is in a relationship with the former Austrian racer Katrin Triendl.
In the end, the 34-year-old was 21 hundredths ahead of the leader in the overall World Cup, Marco Odermatt. “If an Austrian wins in Wengen with the Vinc (Kriechmayr, note), then of course you want to fight back in Kitzbühel,” Feuz described the Swiss holiday.
The last time there was a multiple victory for the Confederates in the Gamsstadt was 30 years ago. At that time Franz Heinzer kept the upper hand in front of Daniel Mahrer and Xavier Gigandet.
Like on Friday, Kriechmayr did not get past 13th place yesterday. “All in all, it wasn’t exactly what I had planned,” said the double world champion. Matthias Mayer had a subscription in fourth place in both descents. Twice four hundredths were missing on the podium. Who knows? Maybe they’ll come back in Beijing. (Alex)
Aamodt Kilde was the prize money king of Kitzbühel
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde was able to cut off the largest piece of the one million euro record prize money cake in Kitzbühel. The Norwegian received a total of 114,000 euros gross – 100,000 for his downhill victory on Friday and 14,000 for sixth place yesterday. The number two in the hit list of the 82nd Hahnenkamm races, which took place in front of a total of only 3000 spectators due to the corona, was the Swiss Beat Feuz with 111,000 euros, third slalom champion Dave Ryding (GBR) with 100,000 euros.
The Nußdorf speed ace Daniel Hemetsberger – tenth on Friday and third on Sunday – earned 34,000 euros, Matthias Mayer 42,000 euros and double world champion Vincent Kriechmayr 9560 euros.
Source: Nachrichten
