Reinfried Herbst:

Hirscher? “See it like a semester abroad”

Reinfried Herbst (left) and Marcel Hirscher

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Former slalom specialist Reinfried Herbst commented on Marcel Hirscher's return. He sees it "like a semester abroad" that the Salzburg native will be racing under the Dutch flag next winter, "but he is and will remain an Austrian". 

Like many others, Herbst can only speculate about Hirscher's true motives at the moment. "I can already hear that he wants to come back, of course, but at the end of the day I still don't think he has the specific goal of competing with Odermatt in the giant slalom in the World Cup," says the 45-year-old on "Sport und Talk" on ServusTV.

Hirscher himself dampens the high expectations. "I won't be judging it on results, but on experiences. With every experience I collect, the project becomes more successful. For the first time in my life, the results are really secondary."

Focus on material
In addition to the fun factor emphasized by Hirscher, Herbst mentioned the advantages for Hirscher's ski brand Van Deer. "When he skis there now, it's also about finding more feedback from the material. It's his company, his ski. At the end of the day, he also wants to make progress in the equipment sector and maybe he'll fall by the wayside a bit because the equipment is perhaps more important."

And Herbst does not believe Hirscher will make a long comeback. "Even if the media are pushing it forward, with regard to the World Championships or the Olympic Games. That's all far too far away for what Marcel has in his head right now."