After a dissapointing 17th place in the Downhill yesterday, Vincent Kriechmayr won today the first Super-G of the season in the Saslong racecourse in Val Gardena-Gröden. In a race of narrow margins, -the Top-30 were within less than a second-, the double world champion of 2021 laid his victory in a consistent run to claim today's victory. He beats teammate Daniel Hemetsberger by 0.02 seconds. Marco Odermatt finished in third place +0.03 seconds behind. It is the first Austrian double podium since February 6, 2021 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
For Kriechmayr it's his 17th victory in the World Cup (33rd podium). He has won eight World Cup Super-G events, secondmost among Austrian men, behind Hermann Maier (24).
It's his second victory in the Super-G in Val Gardena, he won back in In 2019. He also won the first Downhill held in the South Tyrolean ski resort last year.
"It was definitely a good run, much better than yesterday. I took a lot more risk. The Super-G was rather easy, so you have to be full gas all the time", Kriechmayr said.
Austrian Daniel Hemetsberger finished in second place. it's his 4th podium in the Alpine Ski World Cup (2 in Downhill and 2 in Super-G).
"I seem to have had a very good ending. I had mixed feelings about the two hundredths, that's a little bitter because I missed my first victory in the World Cup, but on the other hand it's good that it's Vincent", Hemetsberger said.
The Austrians showed a great team performance today in the Super-G in Val Gardena with three skiers finishing in the Top-5: Kriechmayr (1), Hemetsberger (2), and Marco Schwarz (5).
Marco Odermatt finished in third place. The Super-G Crystal Globe winner in the 2022-2023 winter season has recorded 16 podium finishes in his last 19 participations in super-G races in the World Cup. 0.05 seconds yesterday and 0.03 seconds today separated him from victory.
"It's not too tragic, I've often been lucky. The three hundredths of a second deficit is OK. The run was very good, especially in the upper part. It was one of the easiest Super-G races of my career. I'm sure I'll find these three hundredths at the Ciaslat exit, and at the finish jump, where I drive too far to the right. But I’m very happy with the start of the season", Odermatt said.