The first training session for the men’s World Cup downhill on Saturday in Kitzbühel was a great success for the athletes after the downswing. Above all, the leaps into the mouse-fall and the old lane went too far due to the fast snow conditions at high air levels. Because rain and snow are coming and the next training session will only take place on Thursday, there is time for adaptations.
The training was not very meaningful because the visibility changed considerably. South Tyrolean Christof Innerhofer set the fastest time ahead of Steven Nyman (USA/0.28 sec.), Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR) and Matteo Marsaglia (ITA/each 0.46), as well as Hannes Reichelt (0.50). Christopher Neumayer finished eighth with starting number 45.
“It was pretty tough, the jumping mousetrap and old aisle must have been 50 m long and the air is brutal, so I could have almost become a ski jumper,”said Reichelt. FIS Racing Director Hannes Trinkl quickly assured the runners discussing in the finish area that the two jumps would be changed accordingly.
It was also brutal from the point of view, Reichelt remarked,”I only saw blue lines and gates and red nets by the way. And in between only white, but not a single contour. Not only during the jumps you definitely have to do something, but also clean out the end of the traverse “The slope itself is brutally restless and icy. Tough. It really gets to the point.”
Matthias Mayer came to the conclusion:”The first training session was extreme and once again took everyone’s breath away. I don’t know if that is necessary, but you have to accept it. It is a difficult descent, as everyone knows. The Olympic gold medallist saw the problem, especially in the high air level of the two jumps mentioned above,”Because you shoot from above, that’s a bit too much.”
Wengen winner Beat Feuz voiced massive criticism after training.”Disaster. For me, the track is in no condition like a race is allowed. Now you have to work hard to make sure that the track looks a little different this weekend. He thinks it’s a pity that people talk about safety until the Wengen weekend, and then one arrives at the most difficult route in the world to Kitzbühel and then the jumps are badly built.”Safety comes first, and that’s far from safe today,” the Swiss was convinced.
Vincent Kriechmayr had heard beforehand that it was the most beautiful, because the most uniform preparation in a long time, and that was not the case after all. It doesn’t laugh underneath driving. I would have expected it a little easier, but she showed her teeth,”said the Upper Austrian.
“You’ll get a good shake for two minutes, that was tough. We’ve had cool races this year, but this is a different world. Very fast, very restless. The ratio of snow contact and ski in the air is down 50:50”, said Max Franz, who, like many of the visitors, was deceived by the impression. The training was then a lively awakening.