Ski Alpin: Puelacher:”Hirscher at a level never before”

Season’s victory number four in slalom, the seventh overall World Cup victory this winter – like Mikaela Shiffrin in the women’s event, Marcel Hirscher is currently unstoppable on his triumphant march with the men’s skiers. On the way to a possible seventh large crystal ball, the 28-year-old now awaits the next classic slalom races in Wengen, Kitzbühel and Schladming.

874 points on the account – first of all, Hirscher was there after the Adelboden races with more points, a year ago (893). The Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen drives a similar program to the one in Salzburg and is currently 154 years behind. The Frenchman Alexis Pinturault (547) as well as the Norwegians Kjetil Jansrud (480) and Aksel Lund Svindal (454) will also be able to compete in the coming combination and/or combination. the speed races on the Lauberhorn and the Hahnenkamm.

“Marcel is driving at a level where, I believe, he has hardly ever been before. He’s on his way out. He does not have the pressure of having to think about points, because after the injury he has clearly stated that the overall World Cup is not the goal”, explained Andreas Puelacher, head of the men’s ÖSV men’s racing team,”The overall World Cup is happening – and that’s what it looks like now. Marcel is constantly expanding his lead. He has so much fun and joy in skiing, that’s what makes for success.”

Hirscher affirmed this observation, explaining in Adelboden that the joy is back:”The little bit more distance over the summer, even though it was stressful, brought back the joy and the fire. That’s the beauty.” Except for the day he broke his ankle, he hadn’t had snow contact in seven months.

After a tough competition week Hirscher will be in fifth place on Monday at the City Event in Oslo, the success in the Zagreb slalom on Thursday as well as the Adelboden double with victories in giant slalom and slalom, he will now recharge his batteries at home and prepare for the Wengen slalom. Of course, victory is the big goal, but there are still 120 goals in between and 60 or 70 opponents who object.”

Last year Kristoffersen won ahead of Hirscher. This winter, the 23-year-old Norwegian rider has been on the podium nine times this winter, but he does not want to and will not succeed in what makes him desperate:”It’s so hard to stand on the podium without ever winning a single time. 17/100 seconds were missing on Chuenisbärgli as RTL runner-up, and in slalom as third behind Michael Matt 16/100.

Hirscher, Matt (season best performances 4th, 2nd, 2nd) and probably also the Sunday unusual Manuel Feller (4th, 5th) are allowed to plan for the Olympic slalom. The fourth ÖSV starting place in Yongpyong/Pyeongchang will presumably be played by Marco Schwarz (9th, 12th, 13th, 14th) and Christian Hirschbühl (11th, 12th, 9th).

The last giant slalom before the nomination of Austria’s Olympic team on 22. January is already beaten. Of course, the end of the race on 28. This decision is based on the results of the study, which was carried out on 1 January in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Behind the outstanding Hirscher (three victories, a third place) and the equally convincing Feller (4th, 8th, 7th, 5th) everything is open, no other athlete made it into the top ten so far. Stefan Brennsteiner (13th, 12th), Roland Leitinger (12th, 22nd), Magnus Walch (14th), Schwarz (17th), Matt (25th) and Marcel Mathis (27th) scored at least points.

Philipp Schörghofer, a top performer in this discipline over the past few years, is struggling with knee problems and is still without racing. Leitinger proved in Adelboden that the speed was right, but once again he didn’t achieve a top result this winter after a serious mistake:”Like in the second round, I want to drive, but when I’m lying on the goschn again, it just hurts” In the first run he didn’t accelerate enough “I just have to be a racing pig and ride like a runner-up again.

Racing director Puelacher was “more than satisfied”with the Adelboden weekend. We’ve all done a good job, we’ve brought together this group dynamic where the leader is clearly Marcel. And everyone wants to emulate him and make his life as difficult as possible. It’s going very well now, but we have to be careful not to get arrogant. We mustn’t lose focus so that we can establish ourselves up front.”