Once again, it is clear that the big names from the Ski World Cup do not have a guaranteed victory at major events such as the Olympics. The podium in the men's downhill in Sochi 2014 is correspondingly unusual.
by Rolf Fleckenstein, Pictures: Reuters
As is so often the case, the big favorites did not make it to the podium in today's men's downhill race. Major sporting events like the Olympics have their own rules. Often the picture on the podium is different from that during the season in the World Cup. An Olympic Games releases new forces, inspires riders who are otherwise not among the absolute top favorites, but who have proven their talents again and again during the season. And often the top favorites seem particularly tense, even uptight. The pressure of expectations that they place on themselves and that the public seems to create obviously has an inhibiting effect, and so the cards are reshuffled. This was particularly unfortunate for Bode Miller today. The best in training had started well and led until the middle of the race, but in the middle section he seemed to ski too upright, seemed to want to ski safely, perhaps unconsciously, and lost the time in the middle section that had cost him the podium. At the finish he commented, "That's the secret of skiing. I made a mistake at the top, but overall I skied well, I don't know where I made mistakes, but the light was worse today. I don't know why I didn't win today."
In fact, in contrast to the wonderful weather yesterday, the sky was overcast today and the runway accordingly not so well visible. The start had to be postponed by a quarter of an hour from 8:00 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. (Swiss time) because a track got stuck. The spectators could look forward to an exciting ride of the riders, because the track designed by Bernhard Russi has it all: Steep start section, winding passages, compression and great jumps up to 70 m keep the entertainment high and challenge the riders constantly to the last. And that was the ride of the first 30 riders:
1 Steven Nyman (USA)
Showed too many mistakes on the run, in one passage he found himself only on one ski and had to save himself. In the end he was in the finish with 2.09.15
2 Jan Hudec (CAN)
With a not outstanding run he takes the lead with a time of 2.08.49.
3 Carlo Janka (SUI)
The ride starts with a stupid mistake right at the start, he misses with the poles at the push-off, but there he doesn't lose much yet. He fights and risks, almost goes out and sets a mark with a lead of 1.78 seconds at the intermediate time, but the jump at Bear's Brow turns out to be too long and the landing almost fatal, that cost him a good 0.8 seconds. In the end he crossed the finish line with a time of 2.06.71.
4 Ferran Terra (ESP)
Terra has no World Cup experience and remains without a chance. Final time 2.11.43.
5 Alexander Glebov (RUS)
The spectators start to cheer, with the number 5 a local starts. But Glebov has no World Cup experience either and finishes with a remarkable 2.08.96.
6 Benjamin Thomsen (CAN)
The Canadian has brought this season only once in the top 15 in the World Cup. On his run he is already quite shaken in the upper part and almost misses a gate at the height of the 2nd intermediate time, gap at the 3rd intermediate time 1.44 and at the finish with 2.08.00.
7 Travis Ganong (USA)
The American only got up to speed in Kitzbühel and ended up in the top 10, virtually fit for the Olympics. He shows a really clean run, but still has a gap to the leader Carlo Janka of 0.78 seconds at the 3rd intermediate time, catches up and overtakes Janka at the finish with 0.07 seconds advantage, final time 2.06.64. A clear indication that Janka has lost about eight tenths due to his mistake at the jump in the last part. (In the end, Travis Ganong is the best American, finishing in 5th place).
8 Kjetil Jansrud (NOR)
This winter he has shown with 2nd place in the downhill in Val Gardena that he can be a candidate for the podium, but he has only managed that once, but Jansrud must always be on the bill. He shows a very clean run in the upper part and immediately gets a whopping lead of 0.29 seconds over the leader Ganong. And the Norwegian continues this clean line picture-perfect and extends the lead: -0.40 seconds 2nd split time, -0.74 seconds 3rd split time and -0.57 seconds at the 4th split time. With the final time of 2.06.33 he takes the lead in the intermediate ranking.
9 Max Franz (AUT)
With Max Franz the first Austrian hope enters the race. His business card are numerous top 10 placements in the current World Cup. At the 1st intermediate time he takes a minimal advantage of -0.03 seconds, at the following jump he gets a little bit off the line, result a gap of 0.19 seconds at the intermediate time. This gap increases more and more: +0.61 seconds at the 3rd intermediate time and +0.95 seconds at the 4th intermediate time. In the end he is clearly beaten with 2.07.03.
10 Werner Heel (ITA)
Werner Heel is the first Italian to start. His performances in the last World Cup downhill races (rank 8, 44, 15) do not promise a top ranking. He struggles with some bumps on the slope in the upper part and falls behind by 0.17 seconds at the first intermediate time. The gap increases continuously during his run: 2nd intermediate time +0.42 seconds, 3rd intermediate time +0.40 seconds, 4th intermediate time +0.88 seconds, final time 2.07.16.
11 Matthias Mayer (AUT)
With Matthias Mayer a great talent from the Austrian camp will start. Again and again during the World Cup he was a hopeful for an Austrian victory, but it was never quite enough, the best were two times rank 2, in addition to various top 10 placements in the World Cup. Can he make it today? Matthias Mayer shows himself extremely aggressive and determined on his run, cleaners are the result and a small gap of +0.20 seconds, but he continues determinedly, shows a clean line, +0.15 seconds gap at the 2nd intermediate time. He obviously drives the somewhat unspectacular middle section very well, because he passes the 3rd intermediate time with a lead of -0.40 seconds, the question is whether he can hold the lead to the finish, 4th intermediate time -0.03 seconds ahead, the lead melts, but in the end he takes the lead with the new best run time of 2.06.23 and a lead of -0.10 seconds.
12 Johan Clarey (FRA)
Clarey is the first Frenchman to enter the race, but his season's record does not bode well: no top 3 finishes in the current World Cup. And he should probably not have much luck at the Olympics in Sochi either. At the running time of about 22 seconds, he overreaches and skis past the following gate, result: eliminated.
13 Beat Feuz (SUI)
Another hopeful from Switzerland is going to the start, but a certain skepticism is appropriate. In the first racing season after his injury-related retirement, two top 10 finishes in the World Cup are the best he currently has to show. He shows himself aggressive, especially in the upper part: -0.04 seconds gap at the 1st intermediate time is the result of his efforts. Hope germinates. In spite of a few bumps, he skis cleanly, a nice, clean line, maybe too clean? At the 2nd split time, the result of this line shows: +0.76 seconds behind, +1.20 seconds at the 3rd split time and +1.29 seconds at the 4th split time. He finishes the race a bit disappointing with +1.26 seconds behind and a running time of 2.07.49 seconds. Everyone had hoped and wished for something more for him.
14 Peter Fill (ITA)
One of the top riders of the Italians goes to the start, but the downhill results vary a lot: Rank 3 to rank 37 in the current World Cup. What can he pull off today? In the upper part it shakes quite a bit, nevertheless only +0.02 seconds behind at the 1st intermediate time, he chooses a very good line and gets a minimal advantage -0.04 seconds at the 2nd intermediate time. Now comes the middle section, which Mayer obviously drove hevrorragend, and how does it look: -0.43 seconds ahead. Excellent, he becomes the new leader. But the 4th intermediate time soberes: gap of +0.41 seconds, final time of 2.06.72 seconds (gap +0.49 seconds). Too bad and still top result and performance. Was the power not quite enough in the end?
15 Bode Miller (USA)
Now the top favorite is at the start and all Bode Miller fans are crossing their fingers like crazy. He, the returnee, had shown everyone in Kitzbühel with a top 3 finish that he is a force to be reckoned with and as the best in training the day before, many were convinced that he would make it today, deservedly so you could say. Nevertheless, despite his victory in training, he warned against overly high expectations in the interview. The tension in the race was once again enormous and different from all other races. But his goal was clear: the gold medal, Olympic champion. And it starts as it should, typical Bode Miller wild and aggressive, drives a tight, almost too tight line, it almost overwinds him, wild style à la Bode just, but still a fat lead of -0.27 seconds on Mayer, wow! Compression and left turn super line, advantage -0.31 seconds at the 2nd intermediate time, but he seems a bit more upright with his attitude, why?, caution?, 3rd intermediate time +0.02 seconds behind, obviously too cautious in the middle section, but he can still make up for that, 4th intermediate time +0.51 seconds, what a shock! and in the end with 2.06.75 on the 6th intermediate place, what a disappointment, he can hardly believe it.
16 Patrick Küng (SUI)
Due to illness, the winner of the Lauberhorn race could not participate in training, therefore somewhat handicapped. Nevertheless he skis well with +0.12 seconds gap at the 1st intermediate time, also seems a bit wild, impetuous, at running time of about 45 seconds he finds himself only on one ski, struggles with balance, 2nd intermediate time +0.37 seconds, compression, left turn badly skied, gap grows considerably to 1.06 seconds at the 3rd intermediate time, +1.71 seconds at the 4th intermediate time. In the end running time of 2.07.82, 10th intermediate place.
17 Dominik Paris (ITA)
The Italian downhill star had injured himself at the World Cup in Gardena-Gröden and has been fighting his way back into the World Cup ever since. These are not ideal conditions for competing at the Olympics. In the upper part Paris shows his usual fighting spirit and delivers with -0.08 seconds advantage at the 1st intermediate time and +0.14 seconds gap at the 2nd intermediate time remarkable values. But the compression and the big left turn are very difficult, no good line, there he loses time, so that he is already clearly behind with +0.63 seconds at the 3rd intermediate time. At the 4th intermediate time there are +0.85 seconds and at the end the running time of 2.07.13. Unfortunately no podium.
18 Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR)
Along with Bode Miller, he is one of the absolute favorites and one of the most promising medal contenders; it's not for nothing that he leads the World Cup standings in the Downhill and the Super G. He is also among the front runners in training. In his run he shows aggressive in the upper part of the track as expected, but also brakemen can be seen, so he passes the 1st intermediate time with a minimal advantage of -0.02 seconds, he shows an exemplary squat, but at the running time of about 40 seconds his inner ski slips away briefly, the slip-up unsettles and costs time, +0.09 seconds at the 2nd intermediate time, +0.42 seconds at the 3rd intermediate time and +0.32 seconds at the 4th intermediate time. In the end he crosses the finish line with the running time of 2.06.52, 3rd intermediate place.
19 Adrien Theaux (FRA)
The Frenchman is one of the good riders of the French team, but a victory was not possible so far and the French don't really seem to warm up to the track in Sochi. Theaux also has to fight with many strokes in the upper part, is also slightly ahead with -0.02 seconds at the 1st intermediate time, then slightly overshoots in a passage, falls back and passes the 2nd intermediate time with +0.38 seconds, the middle part obviously doesn't work out for him, gap at the 3rd intermediate time +1.19 seconds and +1.49 seconds at the 4th intermediate time. He finishes the race with the running time of 2.07.89, intermediate rank 13.
20 Christof Innerhofer (ITA)
The South Tyrolean has not quite got up to speed this season, a top 3 finish is missing so far this season, but he must always be taken into account, because the 2013 Lauberhorn winner is a real fighter who can gather all his strength in decisive moments. And what he shows in his run in the upper part almost leaves the spectator speechless, an aggressive, determined run, fighting line and a fabulous -0.58 seconds lead over the leading Mayer at the 1st intermediate time. At the 2nd intermediate time the lead is still very clear with -0.44 seconds. He drives the compression and the big left turn well, but still loses a little in the middle part and there is still -0.21 seconds advantage at the 3rd intermediate time, the Italians will surely all pray now. At the 4th intermediate time it is now razor-thin: +0.01 seconds behind at the 4th intermediate time, he can still make up for that in any case, the victory seems close, the finish jump will decide. In the end he crosses the finish line with a time of 2.06.29 and a small gap of +0.06 seconds. Innerhofer screams with joy, lets himself fall, can hardly believe it, that's what he had in mind, he says later, 1st or 2nd place and now he is second.
21 Erik Guay (CAN)
After the injury to his knee, Guay seemed to be fit again after surgery and rehabilitation and shone with victories in the World Cup, but in Kitzbühel at the end of January he had to pass, the injury announced itself again. This handicap was a bad omen for the likeable Canadian. His ride seemed unsteady, nevertheless he passed the 1st intermediate time with an acceptable +0.11 seconds gap, but then he overrevved slightly and avoidable slides appeared. As a result, the gap grew to +0.52 seconds at the 2nd intermediate time, +0.91 seconds at the 3rd intermediate time and +0.96 seconds at the 4th intermediate time. He crosses the finish line with the running time of 2.07.04.
22 Klaus Kröll (AUT)
This season, the already 34-year-old Austrian is obviously struggling to keep up in the racing circus. With the exception of the downhill at Lake Louise, he has not finished in the top 15 in any race. Accordingly, he did not show what he hoped for himself in his Olympic run. +0.34 seconds behind at the 1st intermediate time, +0.75 seconds at the 2nd intermediate time, +1.68 seconds at the 3rd intermediate time, +2.13 seconds at the 4th intermediate time and in the end clearly beaten with a running time of 2.08.50.
23 Georg Streitberger (AUT)
The last Austrian who could still make a difference starts the race. But also he has fluffed a few good results in the season. His race starts promisingly, he is in front with -0.09 seconds at the 1st intermediate time and despite a slip he is still fully in at the 2nd intermediate time with +0.03 seconds. But the middle part must be a problem for him, maybe he lacks puff, because at the 3rd intermediate time he is suddenly behind with +0.95 seconds and at the 4th intermediate time he has even increased to +1.43 seconds. In the end he crosses the finish line with a running time of 2.07.86 and a gap of +1.63 seconds to his teammate Mayer.
24 Natko Zrncic-Dim (CRO)
The combined skier from Croatia probably didn't expect to have many chances. Accordingly, he can do little against the leaders. +0.33 sec. (1), +0.64 sec. (2), +2.28 sec. (3), +3.00 sec. (4), running time 2.09.80. (The respective intermediate time is in brackets).
25 Marco Sullivan (USA)
Sullivan is also no longer the youngest and has not been able to shine this season, a place in the top 20 was the best he has to show, so I have no great expectations of him. In the upper part he is still holding his own with +0.25 seconds at the 1st intermediate time and +0.89 seconds at the 2nd intermediate time, but he messes up the compression and the big left turn and falls back clearly in the middle part. The consequences: +2.51 seconds at the 3rd intermediate time and +3.61 seconds at the 4th intermediate time, in the end running time 2.10.10 and with almost 4 seconds behind certainly a bitter disappointment.
26 David Poisson (FRA)
David Poisson is also not expected to break any ropes at the Olympics, his results in the World Cup were too mediocre. His intermediate times are acceptable: +0.37 sec. (1), +0.66 sec. (2), +1.20 sec. (3) and 1.30 sec. (4), at the end running time 2.07.83. Thus he surprisingly occupies as the best Frenchman the final rank 16.
27 Didier Defago (SUI)
With the unexpected victory of the Super G in Kitzbühel, he has made a name for himself again. The likeable Frenchman is always good for amazing surprises, even the victory of the Lauberhorn race in Wengen and the Hahnenkamm race in Kitzbühel in the same season (2008/2009) had not been expected of him at the time. Et voilà he surprises anew, at the top he skis very well and with a whopping lead of -0.24 seconds at the 1st intermediate time he once again brings the breath of the Swiss spectators to a standstill. Yes, will he still win the Olympics? At the 2nd intermediate time he is still just ahead with -0.13 seconds, but he passes the compression and the big left turn badly and misses the big triumph here. The consequence +0.79 seconds at the 3rd intermediate time, +1.28 seconds at the 4th intermediate time and at the end running time 2.07.79, 14th final rank, third best Swiss.
28 Manuel Osborne-Paradis (CAN)
In Beaver Creek and Val Gardena he skied among the top 10, but he often found himself between ranks 12-37. Accordingly, hopes were low and the run also rather modest. His gaps at the intermediate time: +0.47 sec (1), +1.08 sec (2), +2.35 sec (3), +2.67 sec (4), running 2.09.00 and +2.77 sec behind respectively.
29 Ondrej Bank (CZE)
The Czech, who can be found in the midfield and back in the World Cup (rank 16 - 56), had no real chance in the Olympic downhill. With a run time of 2.08.24 and the 20th final place presented a decent performance.
30 Guillermo Fayed (FRA)
With the exception of the top 10 finish in Bormio, the Frenchman failed to convince in the World Cup. Expectations were therefore low, and rightly so. With a run time of 2.09.03 he ended in 26th place.
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Matthias Mayer during the jump
Carlo Janka, the best Swiss, who would have ever suspected that before the start of the season, congratulations on the great success!
Aksel Lund Svindal with a little bad luck there was only the "leather medal
Bode Miller in the finish area on the ground, heavily disappointed, he had rightly hoped for more.
Christof Innerhofer screams the relief from his soul, he almost freaks out, how beautiful people can be so happy!
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