Blick names the top 20 in men’s ski racing: these are the best of all time

The result of our calculation? A gimmick. Knowing that drivers from different eras are very difficult to compare. This is our top 20.

Podiums in Super-G, giant slalom, slalom, combination and parallel races: the Croatian was a real all-rounder. On the descent he came away empty-handed. A seventh place in Kitzbühel in 2010 was his best finish. What he also misses is an Olympic victory, but as a consolation he was awarded four silver medals.

The Norwegian, who retired in 2022, was a man of major events, winning five Olympic and three World Cup medals. But it could have been even more, because in title fights he finished in a thankless fourth place three times.

If ‘King Killy’ had been born a few years later, he would probably appear higher on this list, as the Frenchman was enjoying great success even before the introduction of the 1967 World Cup. Because he retired in 1968, he won ‘only’ fifteen World Cup races and the overall World Cup twice.

He was “Mister Giant Slalom” for many years. He celebrated 24 of his 25 World Cup victories in this discipline. Logically, he also became Olympic champion (2014) and world champion (2011, 2013 and 2015) in the giant and won the small crystal ball five times.

The Norwegian is still active and has the opportunity to rise in this ranking. What is still missing from his already impressive list of achievements is an Olympic victory. He would get the next chance to do so in Italy in 2026.

The technology specialist was unlucky to be active at a time when a certain Ingemar Stenmark was also driving. Nevertheless, he enjoyed numerous successes, such as Olympic gold in the slalom in Sarajevo in 1984 and the combined world title in Lake Placid in 1980. He also achieved a hat-trick of titles in the overall World Cup between 1981 and 83.

As befits a true Norwegian, Kjus was always ready for major events. He won eleven medals at the world championships (three gold and no fewer than eight silver). By comparison, his eighteen World Cup victories are almost meager.

Besides Kristoffersen, he is the only active ski racer in this ranking. It may surprise many that the Frenchman is so far ahead. This may also have to do with the fact that he is not a loud man and therefore his many successes are almost overlooked.

Amazing: only the ninth driver in this ranking is an Austrian. Eberharter had three strong disciplines: downhill, super-G, giant slalom. He was particularly dominant in the 2002/03 season: victory in the overall World Cup, victory in the downhill and super-G classification and world champion in the super-G in St. Moritz.

Miller won at least five races in five disciplines. Nevertheless, he narrowly missed the top 10 most successful ski racers of all time. But if there were also a ranking of the ten craziest drivers of all time, he would be assured of a podium place. At least!

The South Tyrolean won 24 World Cup races between 1969 and 1977. He was strongest in the giant slalom: he won the classic in Adelboden three times.

Like Thöni, Raich also has three victories on the Chuenisbärgli. In Wengen he even won five times. But Raich was not only successful in Switzerland, but everywhere. In 2005 alone he won five medals at the World Championships in Bormio.

“Tomba la bomba” was the slalom (and with a few exceptions also giant slalom) top of the world in the 80s and 90s. He became Olympic champion and world champion in both disciplines and won the small crystal ball four times.

Vancouver 2010 was his Olympic Games. In Canada he won a complete set of medals: gold in the Super-G, silver in the downhill and bronze in the giant slalom. Extraordinary: In 2002/03 he won the slalom classification in the European Cup thanks to three victories, but in the World Cup he mainly became a speed specialist.

Four Olympic victories and even five world titles: Aamodt is the most successful Norwegian ski racer of all time, and as befits a Norwegian, he was an all-rounder, winning at least one World Cup race in all five disciplines.

He is still the only Swiss in our rankings. Didier Cuche and Beat Feuz narrowly missed the top 20 and Marco Odermatt is just behind. Between 1985 and 1989, Zurbriggen won eleven medals at major events. Had he not retired at the age of 27, he might even have reached the podium.

Despite numerous serious injuries, the “Herminator” reached fourth place. In 1999/2000 and 2000/01 he won the overall World Cup as well as the small crystal balls in downhill, super-G and giant slalom.

The Austrian-born player started almost his entire career for Luxembourg. Girardelli became world champion four times, but never Olympic champion. More than 13 years passed between his first World Cup victory in 1983 (slalom in Gällivare) and his last in 1996 (combination in Veysonnaz).

The super moose won 46 giant and 40 slalom World Cup races. Record for men so far. Between 1975 and 1981 he won the Slalom World Cup seven times in a row. How dominant he was at times was particularly impressive during the giant slalom in Jasna in 1979, where he won by 4.06 seconds.

7 World Cup titles, 8 overall World Cup wins in a row, 2 Olympic wins, 67 World Cup wins: The fact that Hirscher is in first place is nothing but logical. And if he hadn’t already retired at 30, his lead would certainly have been even greater.