Men’s World Cup 2021

[Rudi Riet]

During the stop, someone was changing afd’s at the start-
View attachment 122088

Looks like the teflon strip was gone, which will affect ramp angle and binding function.

I realize that some racing bindings lack the teflon (e.g. the Tyrolia/Head/Fischer high-DIN race bindings) but this certainly looks like it should have the strip and that said strip was gone. That Rossignol rep was working quickly to sub one out from another athlete's ski. There was plenty of time to do it, at least...

 

[S.H.]

The difference between Odermatt and Kriechmayr was, to my eye, the difference between a tech racer and a downhiller. The Zielschuss is all about harnessing and retaining speed, letting it all go. Before that it's a more technical course (especially with the set by the Swiss coach). Odermatt excelled on the technical portion, but you could tell it was possible for it to fall apart when Kriechmayr had the top speed in the Lärchenschuss - his skis were running and his gliding ability was second to none today.

I know it's been a few years, but Odermatt was a World Junior DH (and SG and GSx2 and AC) champ, right? He's definitely got some DH skills, but I'm sure they've lagged quite a bit as he focused on GS to make his WC breakthrough (and wouldn't be surprised if he's never been a great glider). Interesting to see if he starts concentrating more on the speed disciplines now that he's established himself as a true world-class GS skier.

 

[Swede]

Nice to see Felix Monsén coming in 15th and get some points today after DNF yesterday and DNS Friday. Think he had #4th best speed in the SG.

 

[James]

Nice to see Felix Monsén coming in 15th and get some points today after DNF yesterday and DNS Friday. Think he had #4th best speed in the SG.

He was fired up in the finish!
Reminded me of Bode saying how the first time he finished the downhill at Kitz he was fired up and was 30th. “Just to finish and be alive”

 

[Swede]

He was fired up in the finish!
Reminded me of Bode saying how the first time he finished the downhill at Kitz he was fired up and was 30th. “Just to finish and be alive”

Lots of frustration after DNS and then DNF in the DH:s, which he normally is stronger in. Did fast (for him) training runs we-thu. Broke his hand last year. Have had a bunch of injury problems. So emotional to get a result after a frustrating weekend.

 

[James]

Tomorrow night is Schladming SL.
11:45am Eastern

Feller ! (Out on a half sawn limb)
Yule
Schwarz

Foss-Solevaag
Pinterault

 

[Rudi Riet]

Feller
Schwarz
Ryding
Pintaurault
Yule

 

[dbostedo]

Noel
Strasser
Schwarz
Feller
Foss-Solvang

 

[James]

Noel
Strasser
Schwarz
Feller
Foss-Solvang

Going with Noel eh?
Been burned too many times, so I’m going with a sure thing...Faller. Errr, Feller

 

[4ster]

I’m going for the Austrian sweep in Schlaming:
Schwarz
Feller
Gstrein (been wanting to pick him for a while)

Matt

Just out of order...

Haha, yeah got it backwards, surprised Mayer hung in there after skiing out in the Pow for a turn.

l thought Kriechmayr was able to hold his tuck longer & better than Odermatt in the SG.

 

[Moose32]

Best Tuesday of the year...
Ok, I will go with HK. It's Schladming - so it's his race.
Right?

HK, Yule, Swartz

 

[S.H.]

I think HK in Schladming is a pretty good bet. But Schladming without crowds ... is it really Schladming?

Pintu
HK
Yule

Schwarz
Strasser

 

[Primoz]

But Schladming without crowds ... is it really Schladming?

Not really. Schladming is those 80.000, err sorry only 50.000 (there's some law in Austria that there can't be more then 50.000 people on event, so officially there's always 50.000 or less) spectators. Without that, it's just some slalom race in normally shitty weather and bad track.
I have been on race or two, but for me nothing matches Schladming. Kitz is different, as I was always high up on course and you don't really get that feeling, but with Schladming, it's 50m wide crowd on each side of the course from finish to almost top (top flat part out of start doesn't have space, so there's no spectators). Even after so many races, and so many Schladming races, I still get goose bumps when standing there on course with all that noise around, so you can imagine how it has to be for skiers, especially Austrians, when everyone next to course get insane.
So with no spectators, it's not really Schladming race for me. Also Kitz when I saw that finish area it looked like EC downhill which they normally have week before WC races and where finish is above Hausbergkante.... Few nets, red line on snow and noone around. Not really something what I'm used to see and what makes Kitz really Kitz, or Schladming really Schladming.

 

[Moose32]

Agree. Schladming is great and different from Kitzbuhel. Nice change of pace from Kitz.
Staying at base of the Planai made for an easy two days of skiing and transition to Night Slalom viewing. Lift tickets are much cheaper than USA also (same with KitzSki tickets).
Was also fun taking with Markus Waldner (FIS) on the hill during lunch.


Seeing photos with crowds seems odd.

 

[Rudi Riet]

Watching the POV cam with Sykora just now was weird: no crowds, very quiet.

 

[James]

Well it’s snowing, always fun under the lights.
There just needs to be huge crowds yelling, with horns and bells and burning things.

Damn, my pick for 2nd just dnf’d.

 

[Moose32]

Well, HK and Yule are off podium. Unreal.

 

[Rudi Riet]

Well, HK and Yule are off podium. Unreal.

HK was over-skiing the course until his bauble. Yule was making some speed, at the very least.

Feel bad for Gstrein, as he was carrying a lot of speed until his back seat escapade.

So many of the top skiers are riding their edges for too long after the turn apex. The fast racers - Feller, Foss-Solevaag, Matt - are quickly off the turning edge and attacking the next gate.

 

[Rudi Riet]

With Foss-Solevaag now leading the Viking charge - and being part of the Norwegian squad that trains as a collective team unit, rather than the team-of-one that is HK - I can only imagine the tantrums going on in Team Kristoffersen's camp right now.

HK is likely grasping for any straw he can right now. Thing is: his skiing isn't particularly great right now. He's riding his edges too long after the apex. He's trying too hard to be fast and in doing so is slowing himself down. And he's quick to blame anybody and anything other than himself.

 

[James]

So many of the top skiers are riding their edges for too long after the turn apex. The fast racers - Feller, Foss-Solevaag, Matt - are quickly off the turning edge and attacking the next gate.

Yeah that seemed to be Ryding’s issue too, plus too round. It looked good, but slow. He’d given up a second halfway through.

Hey is Noel von Grunigen, SUI, Michael’s son?
So far he’s getting a second run from bib 62.
Meanwhile, Alex Leever, USA, was fired up for hetting a likely second run from 66bib.