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Marco Odermatt misses the Hahnenkamm downhill on Saturday.
From the Swiss point of view it is the biggest shocker of this World Cup winter! The seven-time winner of the season, Marco Odermatt, falls into a serious reserve after a blow on the steep slope. Thanks to his outstanding body control, the Nidwaldner can prevent a fall. After crossing the finish line, however, it quickly becomes apparent that the overall World Cup winner did not survive this action unscathed.
“Marco’s condition worries me, he left the finish area limping and with a pained face in the direction of the hotel,” groans Swiss Ski Marketing Manager Diego Züger. The 25-year-old is first examined by the physiotherapist at the Hotel Schweizerhof. The native of Austria believes that the meniscus is bruised. Before Odermatt has an MRI done on his knee at the hospital in Innsbruck, his name will be removed from the start list for the original Hahnenkamm downhill on Saturday. “Marco’s knee definitely needs a few days’ rest now,” explains Beni Matti, race director at Odermatt’s outfitter Stöckli.
Kohler once more talented than Odermatt
The special irony of fate: Due to the elimination of the Olympic champion, his best friend and vintage Marco Kohler received a starting place in a World Cup race for the first time. The Bernese Oberlander was long praised by the coaches as the even bigger talent than Odermatt. But then the son of a car garage owner from Meiringen was thrown back again and again by injuries. In 2020 Kohler was used as the foreman on the Lauberhorn. In a terrible crash in the Ziel-S he tore not only the cruciate ligament on his left knee but also the medial ligament, the meniscus and the patellar tendon. One of the doctors told Kohler straight in the face that with this knee it would be almost impossible to continue his racing career.
But also thanks to the support of Marco Odermatt, Kohler recently shone with two podium finishes in the European Cup. “Odi and I are in contact practically every day. He helps me mainly in the material sector. A lot has happened in this area since my fall in Wengen. But because Marco, like me, is equipped by Stöckli, he can tell me exactly which ski works and how.»
Kohler: “It hurts me too”
Under these circumstances, Kohler’s anticipation of the World Cup premiere is of course limited. «I would have liked to have contested my first World Cup race with Odi at the start. The fact that I will now be used because he was injured hurts me too. »
The final diagnosis of Odermatt’s knee should also do Kohler good. As suspected by the physiotherapist, the overall World Cup winner escaped with bruises and contusions in his knee. This means that Odermatt’s start at the World Championships in Courchevel, which begins in two weeks, should not be in danger. And that also pleases Austria’s “Streif” course record holder Fritz Strobl. “Marco is a particularly likeable guy. And during his rescue operation on the steep slope, he once again proved his outstanding class. Any other racing driver would have flown really hard into the net in this situation. »
As a reminder: In 1985, Pirmin Zurbriggen, a Swiss superstar, injured his knee on the Hahnenkamm downhill run. In contrast to Odermatt, the Valaisan had to go under the knife back then. With a happy ending: Just under three weeks after the arthroscopy, Zurbriggen became downhill world champion in Bormio.
Kilde after his almost fall: “It could have been really bad”(00:58)
Hintermann after Streif podium: “I don’t have as much trouble as others when visibility is poor”(03:40)
Kriechmayr had to risk: “I took heart”(00:30)
Attention ski fans! Now quiz and type races
The 2022/2023 ski season is in full swing and so is the “Blick Ski Trophy”: Answer questions every day, type ski races and crown yourself as ski champion. Lots of great prizes await.
To take part in the “Blick Ski Trophy”, you have to register here.
Have fun and good luck!
The 2022/2023 ski season is in full swing and so is the “Blick Ski Trophy”: Answer questions every day, type ski races and crown yourself as ski champion. Lots of great prizes await.
To take part in the “Blick Ski Trophy”, you have to register here.
Have fun and good luck!