Niels Hintermann secures his first podium in a World Cup downhill. The man from Zurich finishes third in Val Gardena, Beat Feuz fifth. The American Bryce Bennett wins someone who has already dealt with his resignation.
Niels Hintermann manages a surprise in Val Gardena.
Alessandro Trovati / AP
(sda) It was another day of surprises in Val Gardena. The Saslong once again lived up to its reputation as terrain for the unexpected. It was on this day that Otmar Striedinger completed the podium, the Austrian who stepped into the breach for his higher-ranking team-mates. World champion Vincent Kriechmayr and the discipline leader Matthias Mayer had to be modest with places 14 and 16. It was also fitting for this special day that the Norwegian Aleksander Kilde, who started as a top favorite, the winner of the Super-G from the previous day and the last two downhill runs on the 1970 World Cup, retired after clear interim best times.
The difficult last season
Hintermann would have signed for a classification among the top ten. It would have been the next confirmation of his good early form, the continuation of good results after he finished twelfth in Lake Louise, Canada and seventh in Beaver Creek, Colorado.
The recent increase towards the first podium place in a World Cup downhill course makes you want more, for example to participate in the Olympic Games in Beijing, for which he has of course fulfilled the selection criteria. But Hintermann waves it aside. «It would be naive and also a little arrogant to say that it will go on like this now. You have to see where I’m from. I’ve had a difficult season, also from a psychological point of view. ”
This last one Season was indeed tough with the unpleasant. Two falls, one in the descent in Val d’Isère, where Hintermann was possibly on the way to victory, and the other in the descent in Bormio, in which he sustained a knee injury and therefore could not participate in races for more than a month, were severe Setbacks.
«I am therefore happy to accept any result. Every result gives me a little more self-confidence, “said the man from Zurich, who had only once finished in the top three in the World Cup – almost five years ago when he won the combination in Wengen, which was affected by the weather.
Second best Swiss on Saturday was Beat Feuz. After a wild ride, the Emmentaler finished fifth, just under half a second behind Bennett. Yannick Chabloz was also a ray of hope in the Swiss-Ski team. The Nidwalden was only thirteenth in his second World Cup race.
The generous donations
Bennett’s victory came as a surprise, but not entirely without notice. The two meter and five centimeter long athlete from Squaw Valley in California achieved two of his best results so far in the World Cup on the slopes in Val Gardena. He was fourth twelve months ago – and three years ago too. It was the season in which he was only part of the B team. 20th place in the Downhill World Cup ranking was no longer enough for the national team status after a change in the statutes.
The downgrade had financial consequences in advance. Bennett was forced to pay some of the cost himself, around $ 25,000. The unsatisfactory situation aroused thoughts of resignation. Bennett lacked the motivation to move on. The frustration was greater than the will to persevere.
The turning point brought up a fundraiser in Vail, Colorado that won numerous well-heeled compatriots to support Bennett and his colleagues. The money worries were no longer, the way was paved for the next attempt to establish oneself in the circle of the world’s best alpines. Fourth place three years ago in Val Gardena also confirmed his belief in the leap to the top. “I can manage it. I’m a candidate for the podium », he thought at the time.
Since Saturday Bennett has the certainty that he was not wrong with his self-assessment. For him, the day of surprises is also a day of confirmation.
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