After the flood of cancellations, German ski racers are increasingly looking forward to the first downhill races of the winter. Regardless, there is great respect for the slopes in Val Gardena.
Andreas Sander already found out on Tuesday (December 12th, 2023) what pitfalls the Saslong piste in the Dolomites has. He fell badly in the first training session for the World Cup downhill in Val Gardena, but got away relatively unscathed. For the 34-year-old and his teammates, it was probably a warning about the upcoming races.
After the numerous weather-related cancellations at the start of the season, the first two downhill runs of the season on Thursday and Saturday as well as a Super-G on Friday (all at 11.45 a.m. on the ticker at sportschau.de) are on the program this week. From a German perspective, Sander, Romed Baumann, Thomas Dreßl and Josef Ferstl can hope for a promising start with a place in the top 15.
Baumann: “Keep up the pace wherever you can”
But there is great respect for the task. “Some of the jumps were at the limit“, explained Baumann in a press release from the German Ski Association (DSV), with a view to the piste, where speeds of 120 km/h and spectacular jumps over 80 meters are part of everyday life. “It’s a lot about aerodynamics, staying compact and keeping up the pace wherever you can.”
The 27-year-old veteran from WSV Kiefersfelden also has a score to settle. Last winter he only managed 33rd and 17th place in the downhill races in Val Gardena. The fact that Baumann still has what it takes for the top places should have been clear since the World Cup final in March this year at the latest, when he was only able to finish in Soldeu (Andorra). Nine hundredths of a second were missing from victory. By the way, Sander also ended up on the podium at that time.
Dreßen wants to attack again
Ferstl is also expecting at the Saslong “quite a challenge“. Last winter he achieved a top result with sixth place in the downhill race in Val Gardena. That of course gives hope for the upcoming races, in which the 34-year-old “even more speed” expected. Basically the route is “good to drive“, says Ferstl.
For ex-Kitzbühel winner Dreßen, who is concentrating solely on the two downhill runs, it is important to start a new attack on the world’s best after months and years of physical problems. It’s difficult to say where the five-time World Cup winner is in terms of performance before his comeback.
Kilde favorite in the downhill
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde is completely different. The 31-year-old Norwegian is the top favorite in the three World Cup races in Val Gardena. Also because he won the downhill on the spot last season. “It’s no secret that the Saslong is one of my absolute favorite routes in the World Cup“, he said last year and enthused: “The snow, the many jumps and the flow from start to finish are something very special.”
Kilde is starting the next attack on his second big crystal ball this year after being unable to get past the Swiss Marco Odermatt in the last two years. The small crystal ball for the downhill, however, was secured by the Norwegian, who won a total of eight World Cup victories in the previous season, six of them in the downhill.
Termination of training on Wednesday
Above all, however, there is still the worry of having to leave again without having achieved anything. As the organizers announced on Wednesday (December 13, 2023), the second training run had to be canceled due to snowfall overnight. “The focus is now 100 percent on preparing the slopes for the upcoming races“said the organizing committee.