Ski Festival in Adelboden: fly and win with Didier Cuche

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Adelboden and Didier Cuche – a special relationship. In 2002, Cuche suffered a torn cruciate ligament during training with Chuenisbärgli. Three years later it was already part of the regular program in Adelboden: the ski stars flew over the fans to the starting number draw. In the race the next day, the Neuchâtel native celebrated three firsts: leadership after the first run, victory in a World Cup giant slalom. And in the finish area he showed his fans for the first time the ski somersault, which later became his trademark.

The most successful Swiss in Adelboden

1. Marco Odermatt (26): 2 wins, 1 x third place
Three victories in a row in Adelboden – no other Swiss could achieve that. That Saturday was another demonstration. 1.26 seconds ahead on a shortened track – it’s time to rename the track Chuodisbärgli.

1. Pirmin Zurbriggen (60): 3 wins – 1 x third
In January 1987, two giant slaloms were held in Adelboden within a week. The winner in both was Pirmin Zurbriggen. He won his third Giant here in 1983 – ahead of the Swiss Max Julen and Jacques Lüthy. At the time it was one of a total of eleven races on the Tschentenalp.

3. Marc Berthod (40): 1 victory in slalom and giants
Winner of the Chuenisbärgli in both disciplines – no other Swiss could achieve that. Also unforgettable: Berthod took home his slalom victory in 2007 with starting number 60! By the way, he won the giant in 2008 for Dani Albrecht.

4. Georges Schneider (†38): 2 wins, 3 x third
When he won two slaloms in 1956 and 1957, the World Cup had not yet been invented. The races were called the International Adelboden Ski Days. Schneider was also our last slalom world champion in 1950. He died in a hunting accident in 1963.

5. Michael von Grünigen (54): 1 victory, 4 x second places
It was probably one of the best of his 23 World Cup victories: the victory in the home race in 1996. The man from Schönried set the best time in both runs and was no less than 1.83 seconds faster than the second place – teammate Urs Kälin.

It’s on stage Justin Murisier never done in Adelboden. But he finished fourth in the 2022 giant slalom and fifth a year earlier. The residents of Lower Valais still have reason to celebrate every year around the Adelboden races. He celebrates his birthday on January 8. This Monday his 32nd.

24,000 francs

was worth the check that Hermann Maier received in 1999 for his 3rd place in the Riesen von Flachau. It’s just a shame he lost it the next day in Adelboden. The then Descente boss Bruno In-Albon found it and handed it over to the owner. In gratitude, Maier promised him the starting number of his victory in Adelboden. In-Albon was surprised when a week later a mannequin wearing Maier’s starting number 7 was lying in bed in his hotel room in Wengen.

Source : Blick