Lena Dürr has a chance of winning after the first run at the slalom in Semmering. The 33-year-old is in second place behind Croatian Zrinka Ljutic.
Lena Dürr opened the race on the Zauberberg and showed a flawless, but not really fast ride. At the finish, the best German technician, who came 22nd in the giant slalom on Saturday, acknowledged her run with a shake of her head.
Dürr: Starting number one “certainly not a disadvantage”
From their point of view, more could have been possible. But over the course of the race it became clear that the woman from SV Germering still had every chance of winning the third World Cup of her career. “I also thought I would fall a lot further back. The run was tough.”explained Dürr on ZDF.
Be the starting number one “It certainly wasn’t a disadvantage today because the slopes were a lot easier compared to yesterday”continued Dürr, who already set the direction for the finale. She wanted to “mentally do two first runs”.
Ljutic leads after the first round
Because only one person was faster on the Zauberberg in the first run: Zrinka Ljutic. The 20-year-old started straight after Dürr and benefited from the course set by her father and trainer. The Croatian took the lead by more than five tenths of a second ahead of Dürr.
“I’m very happy. I just wanted to attack. I think that’s what the track wanted from me”said the leader on ZDF and pointed out that the course also benefited her. “My father said I would like the setting. I can push”Ljutic, who added a “Thank you, Dad.”
Camille Rast, the leader in the slalom classification, couldn’t come close to Ljutic’s time either. The Swiss, who recently won the slalom in Killington, starts the second run almost a second behind (+0.98 seconds). This puts her well behind Dürr (+0.51 seconds).
Aicher’s mistake in the last part costs us
The second German driver Emma Aicher was among the fastest 15 drivers in the first round. The 21-year-old showed a committed ride, but made a crucial mistake on the finish slope that prevented her from achieving a faster time.
“It felt really bad”Aicher was critical afterwards, but also recognized: “Apart from the mistake on the finish slope, it was probably okay.” Aicher goes into the second run in 13th place with almost 2.5 seconds (+2.46 seconds). Jessica Hilzinger is unlikely to be in the final, 3.6 seconds behind.