03:56
Breast solver for Germany?
At last year’s major event, the Alpine World Championships in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the DSV skiers gave the ski fans so much joy – especially the speed men with the two silver medals from Sander (downhill) and Baumann (Super G). The fact that it would be more difficult this season was already apparent in the World Cup and was also confirmed in the downhill. A chest solver for the DSV would be quite helpful, also for the other team members. Yesterday it wasn’t enough for a top ten place, Baumann (13th) was the best German. Based on the discipline rating, Andi Sander (ninth there) is the biggest German medal candidate, followed by Super G specialist Josef “Pepi” Ferstl. The young Simon Jocher will replace Dominik Schwaiger, who fell yesterday. The team also has to cope with this shock first.
03:50
Feuz can drive up free
It’s no secret that Beat Feuz is always one of the favorites in the speed disciplines. Even if the supreme discipline, downhill, is by far his stronger of the two fast disciplines: After his gold medal in that discipline yesterday, the 34-year-old is now capable of anything, after all he can start free. Incidentally, with the Olympic victory, the three-time Streif winner completed the medal set after silver in the Super G and bronze in the downhill 2018. Like Raphael Haaser at the ÖSV, Stefan Rogentin is good for a surprise, drove in the two Super G World Cup stations in Italy the top ten. But the greatest hope for gold is someone else: young talent Marco Odermatt. To describe the 24-year-old as a young talent is almost a bit far-fetched, because nothing will get past him in the overall World Cup this season. In the past year and a half, Odermatt, who was initially strong in giant slalom, has also become a world leader in the speed disciplines – above all in the somewhat more technical Super G. He has already celebrated two World Cup victories in this and is second in a very hot iron in the gold fire in the discipline rating today.
03:42
When is the first ÖSV gold?
An Olympic gold medal is firmly embedded in the red-white-red DNA. In the previous two races, the downhill, which was postponed to yesterday, and the women’s giant slalom, which also took place yesterday, this did not exist yet. While a medal among the technical specialists in the giant slalom would have been rather surprising given the good competition, Vincent Kriechmayr and Matthias Mayer had hopes for gold in the downhill. Mayer could have won the triple gold (Sochi Downhill 2014, Pyeongchang Super G 2018), but instead secured the bronze medal with a strong run. The triple Olympic victory is still there, just in the little brother of the downhill, the Super G. Kriechmayr finished eighth in the downhill and would certainly like to improve this result today, Max Franz, who has been so weak so far this winter, finished ninth and continues to show himself within striking distance. A secret candidate of the ÖSV is Raphael Haaser, who mingled with the top players in Super G this season and surprised with second place in Bormio. Is there a surprise trip in Beijing?
03:32
Warm welcome
Good night for the next decision in alpine skiing! After the speed specialists measured themselves in the downhill yesterday, the Super G is just one day later. The race will start at 4 a.m. German time (11 a.m. Chinese local time).