On the last day of the Ski World Cup, Linus Straßer gave everything in the slalom. In the end it was enough to bronze after a fantastic second run.
When Linus Straßer saw that the leader of the first run, the Frenchman Clement Noël, threaded it out, he couldn’t believe it. It was the moment when the German bronze secured at the Ski World Cup in the slalom. Straßer tore the arms up and had tears in his eyes at the award ceremony. It was also the first medal for the German Ski Association at the World Cup in Saalbach-on the last day. The victory went to the Swiss Loic Meillard, silver to the Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath.
Straßer said to his run on ZDF: “It was difficult to be fast. Accordingly, I was not sure at the finish line whether it was enough. So I was very relieved than the timon (Haugan, Note d. Red.) was slower. When the other two were faster, I thought: Noël can no longer be taken. The slalom is so hard – for luck. “
The slalom started for Straßer in the morning. There the 32-year-old drove properly and was fifth before the second round. The route setting of the second slalom passage was not quite without and faster than in the first run. The athletes challenged one place shortly before the finish. Linus Straßer took full risk from the start and was rewarded. When Straßer arrived at the finish line, he took the lead – raised the index finger and took a scream of enthusiasm.
Then he had to hope and wait for what the competition does. And when Noël threaded, Straßer had his long -awaited medal. However, the wait was not easy, but Straßer took it: “I can no longer influence what the others do. The cry of joy at the finish was due to my good skiing. It was a brave journey and I planned.”
Straßer emphasized that it was “incredibly beautiful” that he now had the medal. However, he also knew that the season was difficult and therefore he did not want to lose himself too much in the extremes of emotions. “Then it lives easier,” said the ski racer who happily went to his family.