On the infamous Stelvio in Bormio: Odermatt fights the last negative

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In just under eight years in the Ski World Cup, Marco Odermatt has achieved what other superstars have not achieved for twice as long: in Alta Badia, the man from Nidwalden achieved his 27th victory shortly before Christmas. For comparison: Marco’s childhood idol Didier Cuche (49) triumphed 21 times between 1993 and 2012.

There are only 13 athletes who have achieved more success in the Alpine premier class than the 26-year-old: Swedish national hero Ingemar Stenmark (86 victories), Austrians Marcel Hirscher (67) and Hermann Maier (54), Italian legend Alberto Tomba (50), Marc Girardelli from Austria-Luxembourg (46), Pirmin Zubring from Valais (40), the Norwegian super moose Aksel Lund Svindal and Benni Raich from Pitztal (36), Alexis Pinnturault from France (34), the American ski hippie Bode Miller (33), Henrik Kristoffersen (no./30) and Stephan Eberharter (Ö/29).

Odermatt’s memorable premiere

There is only one flaw in Odermatt’s biography: although the two-time World Cup winner not only won the giant slalom, but also most brilliantly won the gold medal in the downhill at the last World Cup, he has not yet triumphed in the most important discipline on the World Cup.

But there would be some logic if the giant Olympic champion could correct the mistake this week in Bormio. The exceptional talent from Lake Lucerne has already celebrated several premieres on the extremely steep, winding and selective Stelvio.

In 2018, several veterans were overwhelmed on the 1985 and 2005 World Cup rinks because the track resembled an ice rink. That is why many people could not believe their eyes when the then 21-year-old Odermatt mastered this Herculean task without any major wobbles and achieved his first top 10 position in the Speed ​​World Cup with eighth place in the Super-G .

Stelvio will probably develop into an ice rink

In 2021, the Buochser achieved his first podium place in a World Cup downhill during the classic in Italy – only the seven-time Bormio triumphant Dominik Paris was two tenths faster.

And this year he will probably find exactly the conditions on the Stelvio that he particularly likes: in the upper part it is difficult and grippy, in the further sectors the route should develop into an ice rink when leaving on Thursday due to a cold blow.

Odermatt clearly used tactics during training on Tuesday. In tenth place he was two hundredths faster than Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. Frenchman Cyprien Sarraszin set the best time.

Source : Blick