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Aleksander Aamodt Kilde made twice the speed in Val Gardena. A day after Super-G, the overall World Cup winner also won the traditional downhill at Saslong on Saturday, thus prolonging Norway’s impressive streak there. Ryan Cochran-Siegle (USA) and Swiss Beat Feuz completed the podium. The best Austrian was Max Franz in ninth position, just ahead of Matthias Mayer.
24 hours after his first win of the season, Kilde drove in the second “hundred” and thus also took the lead in the overall World Cup standings. A win in the winter preseason was enough for the Norwegian to seize the great crystal ball. “My ski is better, the speed is there too,” Kilde said after his sixth World Cup victory. “And I’m a year older. Everything fits,” said happily the 28-year-old, who will also continue with the giant slalom in Alta Badia on Sunday.
In any case, Val Gardena was also a “Valley of the Norwegians” in 2020. You have celebrated a total of eleven victories here in the 17 races since December 2012. In 2015, compatriot Aksel Lund Svindal also won both races here. Of course, this time Kilde also received the trophy for the most successful runner of both Val Gardena races.
Disappointing results for Austria
For the Austrians, the Val Gardena classic ended quite disappointingly. Franz couldn’t really be happy with his position as the best Austrian. “Not at all. Basically I felt good and I really got it. But I have a pack to go early. Then you try to drive faster than you can,” the Carinthian explained. “Sadly, I threw my career plan away,” Franz criticized himself. “I wanted to apply pressure before the ski was even on the ground.”
The start number, which is often important due to the changing light conditions in Val Gardena, apparently did not play a big role this time. “Jared Goldberg drove right in front of me with the number 25 and finished sixth. I tried too, but it went in my pants and that bothers me,” admitted Franz. In 2018 he was 0.86 seconds behind Kilde Finished second. This time he was ninth with 0.98. “What a shame. What I set out to do didn’t work out,” Franz said.
Mayer caused a moment of shock when he cut a ski precisely at the point where a vertebra had been broken in a fall. “This is Val Gardena, that’s obviously part of my business,” said the tenth of the day with a sigh. To the Verschneider he said, “I had to improvise a bit.”
Regarding the result, Mayer recalled: “The goal would have been top 5, it didn’t quite work out. He was still “half way” satisfied. “Although of course I would have preferred to have a stick. But I knew from the beginning that this was not exactly my place,” Mayer said, explaining his difficult relationship with Val Gardena. “I always have to go beyond my limits here to be fast. I hope it will be a little better in Bormio.”
Sunday: giant slalom in Alta Badia
On Sunday, double Olympic champion Kilde will contest the giant slalom in Alta Badia. When asked if the batteries were still full shortly before Christmas, Mayer responded with a smile. “I gave myself more time today to make it fit.” At some point, Mayer says, “I hope I jump to the front here too.”
The worm is still with Vincent Kriechmayr, as the Upper Austrian confessed after 13th place. After a material change, Kriechmayr obviously loses, especially when driving straight. “I’ll be there on the corners,” he said. Only Daniel Hemetsberger (26th) and Otmar Striedinger, second to Val d’Isere in points, came from the ÖSV. Hannes Reichelt (43rd) and Christian Walder (53rd) were among others. (apa)
