Toni Sailer is the only Austrian to have successfully defended the title in the supreme discipline. The Tyrolean won in 1956 in Cortina d’Ampezzo and in 1958 in Bad Gastein. Coincidentally, Cortina was also the scene of Kriechmayr’s big coup two years ago: the Upper Austrian first won the Super-G and doubled it three days later with gold in the downhill.
The fact that the World Championship course in France brought back memories of the Vertigine slope in Cortina might be a harbinger. Last year Kriechmayr won the downhill and super-G at the World Cup finals. In Super-G he has already made acquaintance with L’Eclipse (darkness) twice at the World Championships, plus the two downhill training sessions on Wednesday and Saturday. “Getting to know each other was very good. The track is really huge, the snow is unbelievable.”
Excitement before men’s downhill in Courchevel
After the women’s downhill in Meribel, the men’s final speed decision will be held in Courchevel on Sunday. Surprisingly, Carinthian Marco Schwarz was the fastest in the final training session.
Defending champion raves regarding L’Eclipse
You can really push it and always get something back. It’s “a pleasure” to ski, but then you have to push your limits, explained the 31-year-old, who celebrated three World Cup victories in the downhill this season – in Gröden, Bormio and Kitzbühel. “Of course I also want to win a medal, but for that I have to ski well. We’ll see regarding everything else,” said the Upper Austrian, who had to settle for twelfth place in the World Championship Super-G following a less-than-ideal run.
“For the men, we definitely have a top favorite with the Vinc – even if the competition is very strong. Unfortunately he made mistakes in the Super-G, he will try to make up for that. He will have a say in the medals,” said ÖSV Alpine boss Herbert Mandl. Kriechmayr does not see himself as the “hottest item” in the red-white-red speed squad. “Hemi (Daniel Hemetsberger, note) is also in a pretty hot mood, as is Striedl (Otmar Striedinger, note). He’s already delivered really good races. And please don’t forget Marco Schwarz,” he said.
Black amazes with best time at the end
The Carinthian, who astonished on Friday with the best time in the final training session, is contesting only his second special descent at the highest level following the World Cup classic in January in Wengen, where he sensationally finished sixth. “Of course you shouldn’t overestimate it. The speed specialists will put in a good shovel tomorrow. But it’s insanely fun. The material also feels nice, which is very important down there. The slope was more suitable for me every time I went down it,” said the 27-year-old regarding the World Championship route.
“I’ll take it easy,” emphasized Schwarz, who still sees himself as an outsider. In the Super-G he finished sixth following a near-failure at the third to last goal. For a surprise, “everything has to fit together,” he said. In any case, the high starting number is not a disadvantage here. “To be honest, I have nothing once morest driving with number 31. Then it’s sunshine until following the Super-G floor, where the first ones still have a bit of light and shadow alternation,” said the Vice World Champion in the combination. “And not much will change on the slopes. I’ve always driven at 31 now, there are only two or three corners where it’s a bit bumpy. But overall the track is perfect.”
“Everyone tries to push themselves to the limit”
“But the competition is also incredibly strong,” emphasized Kriechmayr. Aleksander Aamodt Kilde is probably the favorite with five World Cup victories in downhill this winter and following Super-G silver at the World Championships, Marco Odermatt is aiming for his very first World Championships medal. Super-G World Champion James Crawford from Canada wants to improve on the downhill. “I generally believe that a World Cup is always special. You saw that with me two years ago, and no one took me into account on the descent. Since the circle of favorites is always a bit bigger. Everyone tries to go to the limit,” explained Kriechmayr.
There has been a medal for an Austrian in each of the past three World Cup downhill runs: Max Franz conquered bronze in St. Moritz in 2017, and Kriechmayr did it two years later in Aare. On Sunday, ÖSV is sending Stefan Babinsky into the race alongside Kriechmayr, Hemetsberger (second in Lake Louise), Striedinger and Schwarz.