Ski-Alpine: ÖSV answers Ted Ligety’s wild conspiracy theory

Austria’s ski aces reacted with great regret to the cancellation of the men’s giant slalom in Sölden, but Ted Ligety strongly criticised it. The ÖSV camp was in any case unanimous:”The weather simply wouldn’t have allowed a race. Above all, it would not have been safe for the spectators,”said Andreas Puelacher, head of the ÖSV’s herring club.

Ligety, four-time Sölden winner from the USA, quickly questioned the rejection via Twitter and, above all, stung against the ÖSV.

“It’s a bit strange when a race is cancelled at 6.45 a. m., when Austria’s biggest star can’t participate,”wrote Ligety, and he also reached out to Peter Schröcksnadel in the sound:”It’s quite possible that the weather up there is terrible. But if the president of the ÖSV tells us days before that the race is cancelled, it stinks,”said the double Olympic champion and five-time world champion.

On the contrary, Schröcksnadel had tried to radiate optimism until the end. The head of the federation had said on Friday evening that the strong team in Sölden could make a race possible despite the catastrophic weather forecast.

Puelacher could only shake his head because of this.”I don’t understand such a thing. So far Ted’s been a big, fair sportsman. Maybe his coaches didn’t tell him what the mountain looks like,”the ÖSV coach wondered.

For the Tyrolean, the rejection was “undisputed”:”Upstairs the things fly around, the lamps shake violently. Ultimately, it was impossible to run a safe race, especially for the spectators,”said the Herrenchef after telephone calls with race director Rainer Gstrein,”I don’t understand why an athlete nevertheless ignites like that. I find that unfair. It’s not the first race to be cancelled.”

The planning of the upcoming trainings for the men’s ÖSV started already on Sunday, which will continue for a part of the team in the Schnals valley. On the 9th. On November 9th, the speed specialists fly to the USA, two days before that the technicians fly to Sweden to prepare for the Levi slalom in Kabdalis.

Everyone in the ÖSV is hoping that Marcel Hirscher will also be able to participate in the event,”In principle, we would have this on the agenda. But Marcel still has some investigations to do and of course he has to try it again on snow,”said Marko Pfeifer carefully.

“We hope, of course, that he will be fit and able to compete in Levi. But it only makes sense if he’s fully fit. Otherwise it would be too dangerous,”added Pfeifer.

The double world champion Hirscher, who has not yet broken his ankle due to his ankle fracture, has now at least not lost any points after the Sölden cancellation:”You can’t hang up the overall World Cup on a race. It is important that Marcel returns healthy and fit,”said Puelacher.

Whether Kabdalis or Levi went out, Puelacher couldn’t answer in Sölden either,”Marcel has to see how he is doing. Especially in the ski boot again. I really don’t dare to say it right now.”

Pfeifer (“Too bad, the preparation was very good and the guys were in a good mood”) couldn’t understand the slip-up Ligetys “Skiing is a single sport and Marcel will take note of the rejection. It’s outside influences he can’t do anything for. But never mind. Even if a race had been, he would have gone his way.”