“Thank you, that’s it”: ÖSV downhill skier announced the end of his career after the Kitz downhill run

Discussing and waiting to see whether he would get a place in the World Cup, plus the many injuries over the past three years – all of this has become too much for Christopher Neumayer. After placing twelfth in the second Streif downhill and his best result ever, the 31-year-old ended his career on Saturday in Kitzbühel. This made him the third best Austrian in the ÖSV downhill team, which is currently fighting for form and its first podium place of the season.

“I was mentally no longer prepared to give it full throttle,” the Salzburg man explained his move in the finish area with glassy eyes. He kept fighting back after the injuries, but recently it was difficult to be able to train at all. “It was ups and downs with the European Cup and the World Cup. It was extremely difficult for me to concentrate on something. It always got me down. I couldn’t train properly anymore because it was so close to me. “

He couldn’t give it his all anymore, he just didn’t want to anymore. The father of the family said he had considered going to Kitzbühel at all or just giving up. “I then thought to myself, pack your things, go to Kitzbühel, do your best result and say thank you. And that was it.”

At the start he felt extremely relieved. “If I had always felt the way I did at the start today, then I would have progressed a lot further. That must have been the reason why it happened today.” After the swing, everything was as he had imagined it would be when he went to bed the night before; he felt that he would be able to cheer. “That was awesome. That was the best thing today.”

Head coach Pfeifer surprised by resignation

He knows that he can still ski well and is also fit and healthy. “But everything around it, all the discussions about whether you can drive. It’s become too much for me. It’s gone on for years. When I was injured, I was kicked out of the squad. Then you can discuss that you can train with us. In During the preparation (for this season/note) I had to pay for everything myself. Now it’s over.” Before Kitzbühel, Neumayer was never better than 17th in the World Cup and won four European Cup races.

Head coach Marko Pfeifer was surprised by his resignation. “It’s a shame, he fought hard to come back. He wasn’t in the team for three years and invested a lot. I was really, really happy that he achieved a mega result.” You have to accept that, even if it’s a shame. Neumayer said he had to overcome a lot during training recently. “If you see how they all drive and you’re not prepared to doubt that I want to go to the limit, then you won’t be at the front anymore,” said Pfeifer.