Counterattack after criticism

Kriechmayr: “In which sports does that happen?”

Vincent Kriechmayr

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Vincent Kriechmayr cannot understand criticism from athletes about the busy schedule in the World Cup. "Alpine skiing is unique because we have such a short season. Especially when you consider that we speed athletes start in December and finish at the end of March. We have a four-month season and train for eight months - what other sport has that?"

Everyone wants to race, Kriechmayr emphasized. You can also "control the load yourself".

Vincent Kriechmayr

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Kriechmayr wants to get rid of sloppiness
According to Kriechmayr himself, he lost some of the joy of skiing last season. The 2021 double world champion went through a dry spell, especially in the downhill, and only managed one podium finish, while he won two races in the super-G. "Last year, I just skied sloppily," said the Upper Austrian with some distance. Before the speed start in Beaver Creek, Kriechmayr also spoke about pressure and stress as well as the speed classics.

Kriechmayr only stood on the podium a total of three times in the previous season. In Val Gardena/Gröden and Kvitfjell he triumphed in the super-G, in Norway he was also second in the downhill. The now 33-year-old was not at all satisfied with this result and the performances behind it. "Last season was generally modest," he said. It failed due to various things - on the one hand, technique. "My system only works when I'm skiing well, and I didn't quite manage that last year."

Lost touch
Marco Odermatt and Cyprien Sarrazin had also raised the level considerably, "I lost touch a bit last year". His self-confidence didn't play along either. He was then too determined, Kriechmayr reported. "When things are going well, you don't know why. When things aren't going well, you just try to turn all the screws until you twist yourself at some point."

Cyprien Sarrazin and Marco Odermatt

(Bild: AFP)

"Pressure is a positive thing"
 He said he had already tried to push himself to the limit during his excellent summer training in South America. "I hope I succeeded in that." He can still win enough, said the winner of 18 World Cup races a season ago with the highlight being the home World Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. Things really get going on December 6 with the downhill in Beaver Creek. "By the time you're at the start of the first speed race, the pressure will be very high - especially the pressure you put on yourself. But that's also a good thing. Hannes Trinkl once said: pressure is a positive thing, and that's how I see it too."