Sensation from Haaser

Raphi got the cuddly bear for his girlfriend

Raphael Haaser

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

Fabiana had "ordered" the cuddly toy the evening before - and Raphael Haaser dutifully complied. A hussar ride with start number 25 brought him onto the podium for the first time at the super-G in Bormio. Will there be a repeat today?

Behind every successful man is a strong woman. And Fabiana, Raphael Haaser's girlfriend, made a strong statement on Tuesday evening. She sent her boyfriend a photo of the downhill podium in Bormio, where Dominik Paris, Marco Odermatt and Nils Hintermann presented the cuddly bears they had been given. "I'd love a bear like that too!" wrote Fabiana.

Aye, aye. No sooner said than done. Raphael went on the hunt for a cuddly bear in yesterday's super-G with bib number 25 - and snatched the cuddly toy with aplomb.

The 24-year-old Tyrolean from Achensee made it onto the World Cup podium for the first time. Even for the very reserved "Raphi", this triggered a storm of (inner) emotion: "I'm not one to show this to the outside world, I prefer to process everything for myself. But the first podium is special, regardless of whether it's in the FIS or World Cup."

Papa René was delighted
Papa René, who had supported Raphael's older sister Ricarda in Lienz on Tuesday, was much more emotional. He was truly delighted: "For me, this is like a victory. When you accompany the children from the very bottom to the top, it's like Christmas, Easter and a birthday all at the same time. Raphi is a cool sock, and this is such a great day!"

Raphael had already suspected for days that it could work out: "I just feel in good shape at the moment. And difficult slopes like the Stelvio suit me," he nodded. Which raises hopes of a repeat performance today - the cuddly bear certainly needs a sibling.