[ad_1]
The 20-year-old Braathen, who had already shown fourth place in the Kitzbühel slalom last winter, went from fifth to first with the second fastest running time in the second round and was able to celebrate his first World Cup victory. . The second place went to the Swiss Marco Odermatt, who was only five hundredths of a second, who was the fastest in the decision and catapulted to the podium from the seventh position. Third was Gino Caviezel (+0.46 seconds), also Swiss, leading at half-time. A small consolation for the 28-year-old: Caviezel stepped onto the World Cup podium for the first time in his career.
For Austrian men there was a rejection like the day before for women. As the best of the three Austrians, only Brennsteiner was 1.98 seconds behind the winner in 17th place. The 29-year-old from Salzburg was able to improve by one place compared to the first race. There was no smile behind the protection of Brennsteiner’s mouth and nose in the ORF interview. “In the first round he was better upstairs, in the second I didn’t get there. And again I did not get to the one hundred percent at the exit, I usually like passages like this. I didn’t manage to do that today, but there are still races to come, ”said Brennsteiner.
Best Austrian in Brennsteiner
Salzburg man appears 17th in disappointing ÖSV result
Being the current house number one on the hit list was a small consolation for the 29-year-old. “That I am the best placed Austrian, that’s why you can’t buy anything. Unfortunately, it is not one of the top ten. Last year I was still wrong, now I am once at the finish line and actually I have nothing new ”. Although the Salzburg resident did not want to overlook the severe defeat at the local glacier, he emphasized that the current situation, especially in the giant slalom, is not indifferent to anyone in the team. to be. “We will keep working, and at some point we will get it back,” Brennsteiner said.
Speed specialists get points
From the Austrian point of view, Vincent Kriechmayr had a small sense of accomplishment. In his first giant slalom since 2018, the speed specialist qualified 29th for the first time in Sölden for the second race. In the decision, Kriechmayr even gained ground. The 29-year-old from Upper Austria finished 24th in the final statement. “I wanted to finish in the points, I did it. But then, with a good number, I was able to advance even further. Unfortunately I didn’t make it, “Kriechmayr said in an interview with ORF,” but there were some good turns, but I still have to improve. “
In contrast, Matthias Mayer’s course was completely different. The two-time Olympic champion was in 19th place after the first race but failed to implement his resolve to show two solid races in race two and finished only 25th after a braked race five hundredths of a second behind his teammate Kriechmayr. “The second was too cautious, I’m not entirely satisfied. The first one was better, ”Carinthian said. The year before, Mayer was the 15th best Austrian behind Manuel Feller (12th) in Sölden’s worst result to date. The latter skipped the first season of this year due to back problems.
Kriechmayr scores points
During his first giant slalom in two years, the speed specialist was a small ray of hope at the start of the season.
Braathen surprised himself
Unlike the Austrians, the surprising winner Braathen shone with the sun on the Rettenbachferner. The 20-year-old is only the second Norwegian after Aksel Lund Svindal in 2007 to win the first match of the World Cup. “It’s unbelievable. I knew the podium was within reach,” said Braathen, who was just 24 hundredths of a second off the fastest time in a tight first race. “Fifth at halftime was incredible. Then I tried to hide everything. Obviously I like driving in Austria, I have trained a lot here. The aim this year is to finish in the top five and establish myself in the top. “
October 18 was also a holiday from the Swiss point of view, even if the Swiss have to wait for the first giant slalom victory since Carlo Janka in March 2011. “Two Swiss on the podium at the beginning, you can only dream of that . This is an as desired start, ”said Odermatt, runner-up, in an interview with ORF. After his knee problems last season, “I was back to 100 percent of my performance,” said Odermatt after the fastest time in race two.
Third Caviezel did not regret the victory lost despite leading at halftime. The Swiss was much more satisfied with his first place on the podium. “I have waited a long time for this and of course it is a dream that it works with my very good friend Marco from the beginning. I was not nervous at all, I was much more nervous in the first race. I felt good and completely attacked, and luckily it was enough to get on the podium, ”said the 28-year-old. Speaking of three: Frenchman Alexis Pinturault, who won the two most recent editions of Sölden in 2016 and 2019, was fourth (+0.49 seconds) and the second driver after American star Ted Ligety to lose the hat trick at the glacier. celebrate.
Black disappointed, Leitinger expelled
On the other hand, there was also a prelude to oblivion for Marco Schwarz. The Carinthian could not cope with the icy and selective field from the beginning of the first round. A serious mistake on the steep slope ended up costing the decisive time. In the end, Schwarz broke 2.79 seconds in fastest time and missed the decision in 39th place. “I couldn’t get up the stairs. Of course, I’m upset, nothing went right, ”said the ORF technology specialist.
There were no results for Roland Leitinger – after a good interim time, the 2017 world runner-up got caught on a goal, turned around and was eliminated. The anger of the Salzburg resident, which was not expressed to the young people, could be heard in the center of Sölden. “It was a bit stupid. I wasn’t that consistent with goals before that. It’s a shame, but I’m healthy and I’m still fighting, ”Leitinger said in an interview with ORF. Raphael Haaser also passed a goal, Thomas Dorner, like Schwarz, missed qualifying for the second race.
Defending champion Aleksander Aamodt Kilde also got off to a false start to the new season. The Norwegian, who had surprisingly secured the big crystal ball last season, which ended prematurely due to the coronavirus pandemic, was thrown from the Rettenbachferner on the steep selective slope. Kilde avoided a serious fall, but the career ended for the 28-year-old after only a few goals.
