NAfter the brilliant final at the Four Hills Tournament, Papa Karl Geiger longed for his family. “I’m really happy when I can see her again,” said the 27-year-old, spreading his arms wide and showing unmistakably: “I’m sooo happy.” Before Geiger went to his wife and daughter Luisa, who was born in December can return to the tranquil Allgäu, he still has the next professional appointment. Less than 46 hours after the award ceremony in Bischofshofen, which Geiger enjoyed on the podium as second overall, he is already challenged on the ski jumping hill again.
“That is also something beautiful,” said Geiger pragmatically about the World Cup prizes in Titisee-Neustadt, which the German flying artists tackle directly from Austria and without stopping at home. “Those are crisp days, so you have to make sure that you regenerate well – collect the grains again,” said Geiger.
Fully packed calendar
He titled his tour as “up and down with happy ending”. After his furious start with the victory on his own doorstep in Oberstdorf, the ski flying world champion had more plans. But day rank three on Wednesday and the place on the podium next to Poland’s champion Kamil Stoch on the Paul-Ausserleitner-Schanze showed him: The Innsbruck mistake, when Geiger lost many points, was probably just a slip-up. Belief in your own strength is back.
This can still be worth a lot, especially in this mega winter with numerous highlights. “That always gives you strength when you know it is still working and you haven’t forgotten it,” said Geiger. Strength that Geiger wants in the World Cup, but above all in the season’s all-out event: At the home World Cup in Oberstdorf from February 23rd.
In the end with a smile: Karl Geiger at the Four Hills Tournament
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Image: dpa
Despite the busy schedule, national coach Stefan Horngacher is currently not thinking of giving his top people around Geiger and Markus Eisenbichler a break from competition. “Eisei”, who had two sovereign individual victories at the start of the season, had recently weakened quite a bit at the tour finale in Bischofshofen. “I don’t see anyone that I have to take them out. The boys are fit, ”said the Austrian. He sees it this way: “The competition is the highest form of training.”
Geiger can be “extremely proud” of his second top three result in a row in the overall tour standings, said Horngacher. The 51-year-old is hoping for the “Geiger countdown”, according to the motto 3, 2, 1, victory, as he explained with a smile. “Third last year, second this year: Now we’ll try again next year. Maybe then the A will come out. ”Sven Hannawald’s last German tour victory to date will be 20 years ago.
The upcoming World Cup is no ordinary for Horngacher – it will take place in his adopted home in the Black Forest. But out of caution against the corona virus, he doesn’t see his family much earlier than his best tour jumper. “There are now another three or four days where I will stay with the team and then I can finally move back home with my family,” said Horngacher.
As a trainer, he and his jumpers are used to traveling a lot and being separated from their loved ones for longer at major events. As in this year, in which the protagonists of the Schanzen spectacle sometimes stay in their bladders for weeks, it is also a completely new challenge for them. Geiger is therefore not worried about his wife and daughter. “I just know that they are fine and they are in good hands,” he said, but also added emphatically: “I’m really looking forward to being able to hug them again myself.”
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