[ad_1]
Manuel Feller, 28, came back second in the slalom at Alta Badia. On the podium with winner Ramon Zenhäusern and Marco Schwarz, the Tyrolean experienced the “most emotional moment” of his career.
Alta Badia / Vienna. “There he is again”, shouted Manuel Feller after the descent at the finish line, and with it the frustration of the last months of the soul. Because the preseason had been for the Tyrolese. After a spinal disc operation, he never regained his form and was eventually demoted from the national team by the ÖSV. In summer, back problems reappeared, making it impossible to participate in the first RTL match. In the Alta Badia slalom, everything that seemed to have been forgotten in the second race, showed his potential and after a race to catch up from 13th place he finished second behind the Swiss Ramon Zenhäusern and ahead of ÖSV colleague Marco Schwarz .
“It’s almost unbelievable, I’d say it’s a satisfaction,” the 28-year-old said in an interview with ORF and fought back tears. “This is the most emotional moment of my career.” Since his World Cup debut in 2012, Feller had been prophesied of great things, and he now has five podiums. Too often mind and body got in the way of Fieberbrunn. However, he captured the hearts of fans with his authentic and honest manner.
Schröcksnadel’s advice
“The last season in particular was incredibly exhausting and painful. The whole summer was very painful, ”said Feller and thanked all his fans, including Peter Schröcksnadel. The president of the ÖSV called him the day before and advised him not to wait and see, but to drive “with your heart”. And that risk was rewarded. “It’s amazing how fast everything can spin. Three races without points, you start with little confidence in yourself. It was an almost perfect race ”, summed up the Tyrolean.
Schwarz drove from intermediate 10th to the podium and was just as happy with it. “Brutally cool! I knew he was in a good mood at slalom. Finishing on the podium in the first race is a nice Christmas present. I’m really happy. Standing next to Manu (Feller, note) in the first slalom will surely give the team a boost, ”explained the 25-year-old.
Things didn’t go so well for Michael Matt, who fell behind in third place at halftime when the track was dismantled, as did Daniel Yule and Alex Vinatzer, who started after him. “I wanted to completely attack,” the 27-year-old said. However, a mistake caused him to lose his rhythm. Matt could still live with the result. “I am especially happy for Manu.”
The winning Zen houses enjoyed the feeling of competition to the fullest. “That was pure emotion. There was only one strategy, full throttle. I have only trained for almost eleven months. So it’s better that it worked today, ”said the Swiss after his fifth World Cup victory. On Tuesday (5.45 / 8.45 pm, ORF1 live) the next chance will be at the night slalom at Madonna.
Rarity and waiting for ÖSV
The slalom men were the last to start the new World Cup season and recorded a red-white-red rarity in recent history: with Feller and Schwarz, two ÖSV riders were racing for the first time in two years, one from which is not Marcel Hirscher. in a slalom on the podium. That was last successful at the World Cup in 2018 in Madonna (black and matte) and before that in 2011 (Mario Matt won in Bansko before Reinfried Herbst). At the 2019 World Cup in Åre, Michael Matt and Schwarz were alongside Hirscher on the podium.
For Austria it was podium number five and six in the winter World Cup, after 19 races of the season, women and men are still waiting for their first victory. The negative record dates from 1986/87, when it took 57 competitions to cheer.
Herren-Slalom Alta Badia
1. Ramon Zenhäusern (SUI) 1: 45.43 min.
2. Manuel Feller (AUT) +0.08 sec.
3. Marco Schwarz (AUT) +0.12
4. Alex Vinatzer (ITA) +0.19, 5. Victor Muffat-Jeandet (FRA) +0.31, 6. Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR) +0.37, 7. Daniel Yule (SUI) +0.47, 8. Tanguy Nef (SUI) + 0.56, 9. Sebastian Foss-Solevaag (NOR) +0.57, 10. David Ryding (GBR) +0.70. Also: 14 ° Adrian Pertl +0.90, 15 ° Michael Matt (AUT) +0.96, 21 ° Fabio Gstrein +1.20, 22 ° Christian Hirschbühl +1.33.
(swi)
