In Austria they have already stopped counting the days. The days since the last success in a men’s World Cup downhill. A few days before the start of the Olympic Games, there is deep resignation in our neighboring country when it comes to the so-called supreme discipline in skiing. One historically worst result follows the next. This is new – Austria has no desire for the Olympic downhill.
The ÖSV team currently presents a picture of misery. For almost three years now – more than a thousand days – the proud skiing nation has been waiting for a World Cup victory in the men’s downhill. In the last 14 races there was just one podium place. The last victory was – listen and be amazed – on March 15, 2023. At that time, Vincent Kriechmayr won in Soldeu.
Historically bad – time after time
After the races in Val Gardena in December, the Austrian press complained about the historically poor result. Andreas Ploier achieved the best ÖSV placement in eleventh place. Two days earlier, it was Stefan Babinsky who was the best of his team in the rescheduled downhill run for the canceled race in Beaver Creek with 14th place – around a second behind the fastest people coming from Switzerland and Italy this winter. A disaster.
Kitzbühel clap and disastrous Olympic dress rehearsal
But Val Gardena was not an outlier. Kriechmayr’s second place in Wengen gave a little hope for a short time, but the next big blow came at the holy home race in Kitzbühel on the Streif. With a gap of 1.48 seconds to winner Giovanni Franzoni, Kriechmayr in 13th place was unable to warm up his compatriots.
And the trend continues: At the Olympic dress rehearsal in Crans-Montana at the weekend, the ÖSV athletes were once again far behind.
Perplexed Hemetsberger – Has the team already resigned?
“I actually drove it the way I wanted to drive it, in principle it should have been fine“, said Daniel Hemetsberger, 14th in Crans Montana, 1.45 seconds behind the winner. “I just got too much in the fourth sector and lost four tenths. I don’t know exactly how.”
That sounds like resignation. Not knowing where and why you lose so much time on the top people and Olympic favorites like Franjo von Allmen, Marco Odermatt (both Switzerland), Dominik Paris or Franzoni (both Italy) gives little hope for the Olympic downhill skiing in Bormio on February 7th, 2026.
Vincent Kriechmayr: Training instead of racing is the last straw
Despite fifth place in the downhill World Cup rankings, even Kriechmayr currently doesn’t see himself on a par with the top guys. Like his compatriot Raphael Haaser, he didn’t even start in Crans Montana, but rather trained so that he might still be successful in Bormio. It wouldn’t be the first time that there was a surprise Olympic champion.
“I just lack a bit of conviction on the descent”Kriechmayr admitted to ORF in December. “The way I drove, I don’t belong at the front, I need training so that I can do a little better in Bormio.”
Olympic downhill quartet sets itself up on its own
Marco Schwarz apparently sees it that way too, as he is giving up downhill training on the Stelvio for a short time and wants to concentrate on other disciplines.
The ÖSV downhill quartet for the Olympics will form itself: Vincent Kriechmayr, Stefan Babinsky, Daniel Hemetsberger and Raphael Haaser will compete in the downhill in Bormio. The first training takes place on Wednesday. There isn’t much time left to bring the skiing nation of Austria out of its resignation.
