Alpine Skiingmen's world cup
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The restart of Schwarz is the only good news of a team that, even without Hirscher, seemed competitive at the highest levels. The two Tyroleans and their different problems ...
Tuesday 21 January 2020 4 minutes reading time
It will be the two races of truth, to avoid a media process that in Austria, the home of skiing, who is desperately looking for an heir (even to a small extent) of Marcel Hirscher, has actually already left.
The slalom of Kitzbuehel and Schladming will be vital for a slalom team that, even without the absolute star, on the paper was decidedly competitive among the rapid gates: Marco Schwarz is returning close to his levels and is the only good news in the bosom at the Wunderteam, with the Carinthian on the podium in Adelboden and very close (7th to 8 cents from 3rd place) also in Wengen. If Christian Hirschbuehl has been injured and will lose all races practically until March, the disappointments are represented by Manuel Feller and Michael Matt, rolled out of the first starting subgroup.
The 27 year old from Fieberbrunn certainly has the excuse for the stop caused by a herniated disc that kept him in the pits for over 20 days in December, but after the good return to Zagreb (12th), "Crazy Manuel" did not he found the right feeling and Wengen's 20th place was the straw that broke the camel's back. "I arrive tired at the end of the heat and, when it is, the head is also conditioned," said the race on Maennlichen on Sunday, which saw him splendid 2nd twelve months earlier.
The situation of the brother of art is even worse: if between Val d''Isère (5th place) and the first heat of Zagreb (2nd), and then going out in second place, Michi Matt seemed to be able to return to play something important ahead, the rest of January was a disaster, spiced with series zeros and Adelboden's only 24th place. "It couldn't get any worse - admitted the 26-year-old Olympic bronze medal in specialty - I hope that something can change between Kitzbuehel and Schladming, I can't think of my age to be already retired".
Yes, in Austria there are some problems ...
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