Sensation on the prowl! Thomas Dreßen is the first German to win the downhill race in Kitzbühel since 1979 and inherits last year’s winner Dominik Paris. The 24-year-old needed 1:56,15 minutes for his triumphant drive. Second place went to the Swiss Beat Feuz.
Dreßen showed a flawless run and crossed the finish line with the start number 19 and a two-tenths of a lead. DSV colleague Andreas Sander also made an excellent run on the Streif.
Sander only made a small mistake in the last corner before the finish and had to settle for sixth place in the end.
The last and so far only German downhill champion on the Hahnenkamm was Sepp Ferstl 39 years ago. Ferstl had also won on the Streif in 1978. His son Josef Ferstl (Hammer/2,49) did not make it into the Top 15.
“At the finish I couldn’t believe it, I thought they were kidding me. It’s a surprise to me, too,”Dreßen said.
The third leg of Beaver Creek’s downhill run had a bit of luck on his outstanding ride: Because Reichelt had chosen the number 1, he was able to choose the better 19 – and depart at a much better visibility.
“Madness,”eyewitness Felix Neureuther said about Dreßen’s idea,”I’ve never had goose pimples like this before.”