The chance for a speed ball is alive and that is the full focus of the Austrian alpine ski men. The home races in Saalbach did not bring the desired increase in points in the Super-G, but nothing is lost three races before the end.
Matthias Mayer and Vincent Kriechmayr are within striking distance. However, a mixed team performance does not cover this. The goal before the start of the season was to get the first speed balls since 2008 and Hannes Reichelt in the Super-G and 2012 and Klaus Kröll in the downhill. In the downhill the theoretical chance has also been gone since Thursday, only the German Saalbach winner Thomas Dreßen can make the Swiss Beat Feuz his third little crystal ball in a row. However, 194 points behind there are probably only two races left to catch up.
Kilde wins Super-G in Saalbach-Hinterglemm
In the Super-G, the Austrians failed to successfully defend the double lead in the difficult Saalbach race on Friday. Mayer retired, Kriechmayr finished tenth, and the Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde took the lead with his victory. With three races to go, he has 336 points, followed by Swiss Mauro Caviezel (285), Norwegian Kjetil Jansrud (265), Mayer (264) and Kriechmayr (262). “It would be cool for the team if someone got the ball,” said Christian Walder, who was fourth best Austrian in Super-G and gave a strong sign of life.
Not an ideal racing rhythm
The focus is now on this crystal ball. “It is very important for us, it is the big goal, we fight with it. We must not let ourselves get out of rhythm and we have to stay relaxed ”, said speed trainer Sepp Brunner. The Mayer, who led to Saalbach, lost five kilograms after suffering from flu, and did rebuild the substance. “It was still not ideal, also when it comes to the racing rhythm,” noted Brunner after eleventh place in the Carinthian downhill and the failure in the Super-G.
Mayer and Kriechmayr, with Daniel Danklmaier as the third employee – the ÖSV downhill team is currently no stronger. “If they leave out, we really don’t look good, that’s not enough,” said Brunner with a small worry line on his face. There are not enough of the other runners. “We have to stay tuned and make sure that they don’t cramp anymore. You want to train hard, do everything and sometimes drive really well in training. That’s the surprising thing. ”
Ambitions and bad luck for injuries
But training and racing are two pairs of shoes and looseness is lost in the race. “They drove well in training in the fall, and then we didn’t do what we set out to do as a team.” At Otmar Striedinger, for example, the previous year saw that everything went easier after the result from Kitzbühel. “And he’s fighting this year. We hoped that he could compete in the top seven, which he would actually have in terms of speed. ”
Of course there were injuries from Hannes Reichelt and Christopher Neumayer. But Johannes Kröll, Max Franz and Walder don’t really get going on the downhill, Christoph Krenn struggles with health problems. “It hurts a bit, that would have been one in terms of potential that could develop in the direction of Dankmaier,” said Brunner. The latter is satisfied with the latter, it is now a matter of taking further steps and working even further, because that is possible for Danklmaier.
The ÖSV is currently not filling the full World Cup quota, in the European Cup 22-year-old Raphael Haaser will drive for a Super-G fixed place in the elite series next season. He recently finished first and second twice in Sella Nevea. “It’s nice when a boy is involved in the front. A victory inspires. But the World Cup is a different world, you have to get used to it. Maybe he will make a fixed place, then he can get a taste of the World Cup next year, can drive free, ”said Brunner. Niklas Köck is in the European Cup in downhill and Super-G in the top three, but at 28 he is no longer a young athlete.
(APA)
Article picture: GEPA Pictures
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