Ex-Kitz winner honest

“Wanted to give up the speed team due to lack of success”

A few years before Thomas Dreßen's Kitz triumph, there was even talk in Germany of scrapping the speed team.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Former Kitzbühel winner Thomas Dreßen has commented on the current dominance of the Swiss ski team and also looked back on a difficult phase for the German speed team. A few years before his Kitz triumph, there was even talk in Germany that the speed team could be scrapped. But then a dynamic emerged that he now sees in a similar form with the Swiss.

"There was a lot of discussion here in Germany in 2014. They almost wanted to scrap the speed team because of its lack of success," Dreßen says on "Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar 7" on Servus TV, looking back on a difficult phase in his career. But they found the right solution: "Through hard work and a few changes, things gradually got better. We also pushed each other at all times. It created a dynamic that you can't stop." 

This development culminated in Dreßen's Streif triumph in 2018, for example. The 31-year-old sees some parallels with the Swiss, who often dominate the men's speed competitions at the moment. They have also managed to create a dynamic in which they constantly push themselves to new peak performances. Although there are also differences to Germany: "In Switzerland, so much young talent comes from below." That is certainly not comparable.  

Feuz as the key to success
He sees one particular skier as the key to the Swiss rise: "If you have a leader, I would say Beat Feuz in particular back then, that is decisive. Marco Odermatt also needs his team behind him. You can only take your hat off to him. To the chagrin of other nations, but you can only wish that it continues like this."

Dreßen sees it as a good sign that Odermatt and Co. didn't manage to win the downhill on the Streif after all: "Crawford's victory was very refreshing for the sport of downhill skiing. The Swiss were progressive with their skiing style. Now James has managed to win with his again." 

The former ski racer explains that it is important and right that the successes were celebrated afterwards: "Tradition should be lived. I did it that way too. If you don't celebrate such successes... It's nice to think back. I would have done it all over again."