Alpine SkiingBEIJING 2022
Pentaphoto fisi
Giuliano Razzoli tells NEVEITALIA about his rebirth and his difficulties to return to being among the strongest in the slalom and snatch the ticket to participate in the Beijing 2022 Olympics
Thursday 3 February 2022 11 minutes reading time
This season is making us dream. At the age of 37, he is the best Rocket of his career. He conquered the podium in Wengen 6 years after the last time and came close to victory in Kitzbühel, the same place where in January 2016 he broke his left knee cruciate. Injury that led him to go through a difficult period in his career.
Giuliano Razzoli, gold medalist at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, still has a lot to give and some dreams to crown.
Last days of training among the rapid gates and then the blue is ready to pack his bags and set off for this new adventure, his main goal of the season for which he fought so much: the Beijing 2022 Olympics.
You are having an incredible season. What was the secret to returning to high levels at the age of 37? There is no secret. I have been able to train well in the last two years, without physical obstacles and with continuity. This allowed me to express my technique at its best, leading to results.
After your knee injury in 2016, you went through a dark period. It was difficult to go back to being the Rocket from before. How did you deal with those years? Yes, it was a dark and difficult time. From 2016 to 2018 I had problems with my knees which forced me to start over. In the standings I was far behind, I had a bit of bad luck with the scores because with the regulations that were in force in those years I lost a lot and hurt myself. It wasn't going to be like that now. I got hurt at the best moment of my career, I had a lot of bitterness in my mouth and sorrow. This sorrow gave me the incentive to continue and to seek some redemption from the misfortune I had had.
You are the oldest athlete to be on the podium in slalom. What effect did this moment have on you after 6 years from the last time? I was hoping to get on the podium first, but I had to wait all this time. Perhaps for this reason the moment was even more special. It was a very sweaty podium, beautiful emotions. I felt the last emotion so beautiful in Madonna di Campiglio, in December 2018, when I finished fifth with bib 69, without getting on the podium. That race allowed me to return to the best. In the past two and a half years I had come close to the podium several times. This year my skiing has taken a next step. The emotion was strong.
It is said that this season you are the best "Rocket" of your career. Has anything changed in your skiing? Skiing is always trying to improve it. It needs to be improved to keep up with the times. And always grow every year. I am skiing very well. Stylistically I would say that I am complete, also beautiful to look at. The years in which I won the Vancouver Olympics, there were certain situations where I was the one who did more speed than I am now. Now there are other athletes like Clement Noel and Alex Vinatzer who develop more speed. But now I am more complete than the Rocket of other periods of my career. So both the experience and my very clean skiing allow me to achieve good results. I no longer make the difference that I could have made in certain places 10 years ago, but if we look at the whole heats, perhaps I have never skied so well.
This season all slaloms have had a different winner. So at the Olympics there are so many who can play the medals ... Going to the Olympics has been my goal for years, since I had to miss the Olympic Games Pyeongchang 2018. Getting there in condition was my goal. I'll try to take something home. I'll try to do well, I don't want to be satisfied. The slalom, as we know, is a lottery game. I hope to be among the best. It is a year in which there is a lot of balance. There is no one who has made a difference. Many of us play this medal. We are 15, all connected, for 3 places. It will be very hard fought.
Compared to the Vancouver Olympics, how is the level of athletes to beat? They are two different eras, difficult to compare. In those days the level was very high, as it is very high even now. Perhaps now we are more athletes to play for the medal, while in Vancouver we played it in six / seven. I was among the favorites. In Vancouver there was a bit of a gap between the first and second groups and instead this year we are all close. There is more unknown.
Italy is betting a lot on you, do you feel pressure on you? I now have some experience. I'm not worried, until last year I didn't even have to be at these Olympics and instead I'm still here and this gives me a lot of energy. I'll think about having fun and looking for my best ski that day.
Have you got to know if the slope is suitable for your characteristics? I don't know, but this year I have a very complete and competitive skiing in all situations. I should start with bib number 18. I hope there is hard snow so I don't have too much bib gap.
After the podium in Wengen, have you ever thought about the possibility of fighting the specialty cup? I never thought about the cup, you have to think about it when there are one or two races left. There is no point in thinking about it first because, in Wengen, my main goal was the Olympics. I fought for the victory in Kitzbühel and wanted to get on the podium in Schladming to start in the 15 at the Olympics and instead I got on the bike.
With the outings of Kitzbuhel and Schladming, would it be difficult to win now? To win it, you have to go out a little. In Kitzbühel I sought victory thinking about the Olympics. I would say that it is almost impossible to win it. If I have the opportunity, I will think about the last race. That's where the goal is always played. I will try to go as fast as ever. Now I do not think about it because it is very unlikely, I think about the Olympics and to make other important results.
A few days ago your fans gave you a wonderful surprise party, how important is it for an athlete to have the support of the fans? I think it's different from athlete to athlete. I have always received a great deal of love and support. In Emilia Romagna we are particularly charged and euphoric. It was essential for me to have the support of fans and my friends throughout my career, and especially in recent years that are a bit more difficult, to persist and once again find immense joy like the podium in Wengen.
Now that you are at the end of your career, are there still any dreams you would like to fulfill? Yes, now we have the Olympics. I'm back on the podium, it would be nice to win again. I went close to Kitzbühel, who is stopping me from dreaming again? I'm at the end of my career, but it's not over yet. I'll have some other chance, I'll try to play it and achieve a few more dreams.
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