Beat Feuz will retire from competition on Saturday. He will do it in Kitzbühel following two descents on the Streif, which for him represents great emotions and great victories.
La Streif, executioner of several careers, has long refused Beat Feuz. In 2017, a year following finishing 2nd for the first time, he saw victory pass him by. However, he had a lead of 72 hundredths at the Hausbergkante over the future winner Dominik Paris. But the improbable happened when Feuz completely missed the Passage de la Traverse and had to abandon his dreams of victory.
The three winters that followed, Feuz was once more close to the Grail, but finished 2nd three times.
The double taming
The winners followed one another, Feuz remained the incarnate constancy. These “defeats” did not bring him down. On the contrary, they reinforced his confidence that one day he might realize his great dream.
This day happened two years ago. The taming of the rebel was successful. On the 11th try, he finally tamed the Streif. Feuz won for the first time – and 48 hours later, he even celebrated a double. And last season he added a third win at Kitzbühel. Three successes – triple happiness for someone like Feuz, who places victories on the Streif or the Lauberhorn above everything else (sportingly).
13 years following his first time on the Streif, at the time his 6th start in a World Cup downhill, the 35-year-old Bernese will be keen to conquer this mythical track one last time, and thus end his career in apotheosis.
ats/jfk
