Cyprien Sarrazin won the downhill run on the Streif and took over the role of favorite for the legendary Hahnenkamm race on Saturday.
Icy pistes, mousetraps, carousels and lark shots demand everything from the downhill skiers on the Streif. The risk is great, so the framework conditions must be right. Light snow and fog prevented the first race of the weekend from starting on time. At 12.30 p.m., an hour late, the green light was given for the first departure of the weekend.
Result – Men’s Downhill Kitzbühel Friday Arrow right Now live: Sarrazin after a hundredth thriller on the Streif in front Arrow right
Sarrazin gets the important hundredths
The Frenchman Cyprien Sarrazin burned the fastest line in the snow and was the top favorite for the legendary Hahnenkamm race on Saturday in 1:55.75 minutes. “I tried to get everything out of it,” said Sarrazin about his success.
However, the competition is close. The Italian Florian Schieder was just five hundredths behind Sarrazin. Ski star Marco Odermatt (SUI) had to admit defeat in third place by 34 hundredths.
Jocher is still racing in 12th place
Simon Jocher (+1.36s) still managed to achieve cosmetic results. The Bavarian finished 12th with start number 31 and at least ensured a conciliatory DSV result.
Sander with a messed up trip
Thomas Dreßen, Streif winner in 2018, did not start after announcing his retirement. The hopes were therefore placed on Andreas Sander. But the 34-year-old lost important seconds on the steep slope and didn’t get the right traction on his skis until he reached the finish. “It was messed up from above to below,” analyzed Sander. “I didn’t find the right feeling to attack today.”
Baumann doesn’t manage to make a top run
Now it was up to Romend Baumann, who achieved the DSV’s best result of the season so far with ninth place in one of the Val Gardena downhill runs. The 38-year-old came second in 2012, but in his 150th World Cup downhill he wasn’t expected to make it into the top ten either. Baumann was 2.32 seconds short of the best time. Although, like Sander, he missed the top 20, he was able to draw positive things from the race after recent poor results: “It’s a big self-confidence boost,” said Baumann.
Teammate Josef Ferstl (+2.60) also couldn’t shine. The 2019 Super-G winner in Kitzbühel pushed himself between Baumann and Sander.
Dreßen farewell on the legendary Streif
DSV top downhill skier Dreßen announced the end of his career on Thursday due to ongoing physical problems. On Saturday – exactly six years to the day after his sensational triumph on the Streif – the 30-year-old from Upper Bavaria said goodbye to the World Cup circus with one last ride over the Streif.