Ski superstar Marco Odermatt celebrated his 50th World Cup victory. However, the Swiss’s triumph in changeable conditions in Val Gardena was overshadowed by the serious fall of Norwegian Fredrik Möller.
The 25-year-old had problems on the infamous camel humps, lost control during a jump and hit the slope with full force. He was treated for a long time and finally taken away.
The four-time overall World Cup winner Odermatt won ahead of his Swiss teammate, the current world champion Franjo von Allmen. The South Tyrolean veteran and local hero Dominik Paris took third place.
The best German was Romed Baumann in 19th place. Luis Vogt came 21st on his comeback after a shoulder injury, Simon Jocher missed the points in 41st place.
Fog causes delays
The race started later due to fog and was interrupted for a longer period of time. The weather had already thrown the organizers’ plans into disarray during training on Wednesday and ultimately led to a cancellation. A Super-G is scheduled for Friday and another downhill run for Saturday.
For Odermatt it was already the fifth victory in the eighth cross-disciplinary World Cup start this season. The 28-year-old alpine dominator also won the first downhill run of the winter in Beaver Creek at the beginning of December. The second descent in the US state of Colorado was canceled at the time and has now been made up in Val Gardena on a slightly shortened route.
Germans not yet in Olympic form
The struggling German speed riders are far from their top form less than two months before the Olympic Games in Italy. Baumann was at least happy about his best result so far this season.
It was “a really good ride,” said the 39-year-old, who got off to a good start in the upper section of the route. However, the German athletes have not yet broken the national standard for the peak of winter.