Winning the first large crystal ball proved to be a curse several times over the winter.
After his overall victory in the World Cup in 1991/92, Paul Accola was unable to secure a single podium the following season. And French superstar Alexis Pinturault didn’t win last season after his big coup in 2020/21. Pinturault’s coaches justified this by saying that their protégé was no longer able to create the necessary tension after the historic overall victory of the World Cup.
So far, this has not been the case with the recent training performances of reigning World Cup overall winner Marco Odermatt. Even if the preparation for the winter of the World Cup did not go so well for the nidwalden. “I missed a relatively large number of training days due to bad weather,” reveals the 25-year-old. “In August we skipped a whole week before leaving for the retreat in Chile, and the week before we also had to cancel a complete course in the snow”.
Macht demonstration in Chile
The mood between Odermatt and his teammates was very subdued at the beginning of last week on the Diavolezza GR. Monday’s free practice had to be canceled because too much wet snow had fallen overnight. Meanwhile, conditions in the Engadine are really good. And that’s why the Swiss athlete of the year looks forward to the opening of the World Cup next weekend. “The relatively few days I have been training in the snow this summer and fall have been very good.”
The Austrians also saw it. “I saw Marco training in Chile. I had to realize that unfortunately he hadn’t forgotten how to ski”, moaned Stefan Brennsteiner, who finished second in the penultimate giant slalom in Kranjska Gora, four hundredths ahead of Odermatt, in an interview with the Austrian ” Kronen-Zeitung “.
The special rule of selfies
Before his show of power in South America, the superstar, who celebrated not only big ball but giant gold at the Olympics and seven individual World Cup victories last winter, experienced his original team. “Like Nidwaldner, I was very happy that the motorbike rally in Ennetmoos with around 30,000 spectators was held for the first time since the pandemic. I enjoyed this event as much as the fantastic atmosphere of the Federal Wrestling Festival in Pratteln.”
Odermatt has established a special rule so that he is not completely “knocked down” by selfie hunters in such events. “When I go out with friends in the evening or enjoy dinner with my girlfriend, I’m not available for photos.” In the same breath, the blond boy admits that he sometimes makes an exception. “If a little girl or boy in a restaurant with sparkling eyes asks me for a selfie, obviously I won’t say no.”
Tears for Roger
Especially since the alpine giant was happy as a child a few weeks ago when he and his queen of hearts Stella were able to attend Roger Federer’s farewell performance at the Laver Cup in London. “It was truly an extremely emotional story. And after Roger hit his last ball, like most of the other spectators, I had tears in my eyes. “
We can assume that Marco Odermatt will often shed tears in the coming winter months. Tears of joy.
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