World Cup in Saalbach-Hinterglemm: Next Swiss ski show: Disappointed Odermatt from Allmen

Marco Odermatt first shook his head and hit the helmet with his hand. Shortly later, the disenchanted ski dominator was able to smile again. He still preferred it if a Swiss wins instead of an Austrian, he smeared. Two days after Odermatt’s superior victory in Super-G, teammate Franjo from Allmen stole the show before 22,500 enthusiastic spectators in Saalbach-Hinterglemm and raced to the prestigious World Cup gold in the departure.

German lands outside the top 15

“Incredibly strong” drove from allmen, said Odermatt. He already knew at the start that he had to risk a lot for a place on the podium and made one or two smaller mistakes, explained the best ski racer from the present. Ultimately, he had to be satisfied with fifth place. Local hero Vincent Kriechmayr became second ahead of Alexis Monney from the overall strong team of Swiss, who dominate the descents this winter.

The German starter Romed Baumann and Simon Jocher drove to places 20 and 30. The disappointment is already great, said Routinier Baumann, for whom it is probably the last World Cup of career. He cannot currently say whether he is still targeting the Olympic Games in Italy in a year in a year, according to the 39-year-old. First of all, he wanted to finish the current season.

Red-white-red flag sea on Zwölferkogel

The enormous importance of the departure was felt around the Zwölferkogel long before the race. Human crowds with predominantly red-white-red flags flocked from all directions into the imposing stadium in the target area.

Odermatt, the three-time overall World Cup winner, giant slalom Olympic champion and downhill world champion of 2023 was the man to beat that day. Kriechmayr, four years ago world champion both in the departure and in the Super -G, started only three weeks after his fall in Wengen as the great hope of the Austrians – and did not disappoint them.

Silver despite the recent knee injury – it was a remarkable performance and already the fourth medal for the hosts at this World Cup. In this way, they were able to get the next Swiss festival more easily.

Swiss in the departure the measure of things

The congratulations of the Austrians would mean a lot to him, said the overjoyed of Allmen. The 23-year-old, who only debuted in the World Cup almost two years ago, steps more and more out of the long shadow of his outstanding compatriot Odermatt. “This is my house”, Odermatt had called him when he narrowly beaten from Allmen in the departure of Wengen in mid -January. The day before, the Youngster in the Super-G was for the first World Cup victory and finally rasted into an international field of vision.

“We are a great team, push and help each other,” said Odermatt at ORF about the speed of the Swiss, which is the measure of things this winter. Apart from the success of Canadian James Crawford in Kitzbühel, the Confederates have so far won all men’s runs this season.

And you have other gold chances at the World Cup – just Odermatt, for which the giant slalom is also due after the team combination.

Aicher new German hope wearer

The German hopes for precious metal in Saalbach-Hinterglemm had mostly nourished Emma Aicher. As in the Super-G, she also became sixth in the departure on Saturday. With a lower start number, the 21-year-old would have even been a podium on the sloping slope and in the victory of the American Breezy Johnson.

On Tuesday she starts together with Slalom-ace Lena Dürr in the women’s team combination. Maybe then the Germans also vote in the big ski party at Zwölferkogel.