Odermatt takes another step towards the crystal record: this second place could be worth four balls

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Cyprien Sarrazin lives up to his nickname “Psycho” during the Super-G in Wengen! Just like his downhill victory in the New Year’s Eve week in Bormio, the Frenchman also skis the very last peak on the Lauberhorn – when entering the Brüggli-S he touches the safety fence with his left ski boot! The risk pays off. At the finish, the 29-year-old has a 58 hundredth lead over our series winner Marco Odermatt. «I saw Sarrazin’s drive at the start and knew it would be difficult to beat him. And because a top athlete, Alexis Pinturault, who is otherwise great on skis and almost never makes a mistake, fell afterwards, I was at least one percent safe.”

“Odermatt showed 80 percent in this Super-G!”

For the Valais coaching legend Patrice Morisod, who celebrated great successes with Didier Cuche and the French, the one percent certainty mentioned by Odermatt is the understatement of the year. “Marco did not use more than 80 percent of his potential in this race.” Besides Pinturault’s fall, there are two more reasons why the man from Nidwalden did not reach the limit in this Super-G. First of all: the focus of the Olympic champion this Lauberhorn week is mainly on Saturday’s original descent. Secondly, Odermatt knew full well that a second place in the Super-G would also take him a big step towards the four crystal balls.

So far, only three athletes have won four balls in one winter

In the history of the Alpine Skiing World Cup, there have only been three athletes who have been able to receive four crystal balls at the end of a season: the Frenchman Jean Claude Killy (80, 1967), the Valais Pirmin Zurbriggen (61, 1986/87) and the Austrian Hermann Maier (51, 1999/2000 and 2000/01). Odermatt currently sits at the top of the overall standings, downhill, super-G and giant slalom. And although Odermatt revealed after his second Lauberhorn appearance that he noticed his legs were blue while driving, we don’t have to worry about the Buochser running out of fuel.

That is why Odermatt is also the world champion of regeneration

Despite his monster program, Odermatt is also known for his exceptionally fast recovery. Beni Matti from Odermatt’s ski outfitter Stöckli gives one of the reasons: “Marco is incredibly disciplined. Although he often returns to the team hotel much later than everyone else because of the media marathons, he always immediately steps on the cycle ergometer to kick out his lactate. In Kurt Kothbauer he also has an excellent strength and conditioning coach at his side.” The Austrian who works for Swiss-Ski is convinced that food also plays an important role in regeneration. And Odermatt is anything but a calorie counter. “When I’m at the breakfast buffet in a hotel, I put exactly what I want on my plate.”

The world champion and Olympic champion also benefit from his mother’s cooking skills. “When Marco comes home between races, he especially likes it when I cook him a cream schnitzel or something Thai,” reveals Priska Odermatt. On Saturday your boy will be especially hungry for another victory on the Lauberhorn.

Source : Blick