UUnder the Aspen sun, Andreas Sander held up his index finger, even though centimeters were missing at the finish line for a really big shot. The 33-year-old narrowly missed out on winning the Super-G in the US ski resort, but celebrated the first podium finish of his World Cup career on the 180th attempt. Sander finished second behind Swiss high-flyer Marco Odermatt, who secured the small crystal globe for winning the discipline rating.
“Sensational. I’m super happy,” said Sander after the great success. But he was also “surprised that it finally worked out that way”. He doesn’t regret the missed victory. “There was a small mistake, but I try to forget that quickly and I’m just happy about second place,” he said Sander, “you’re happy to start your journey home.”
Kilde wins Downhill World Cup
Sander (Ennepetal), 2021 World Cup runner-up in the downhill, was a full five-hundredths of a second behind Odermatt in Colorado. Third was Norway’s ski star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (+0.34 seconds), who won the downhill World Cup on Saturday with his sixth win of the season in the king’s discipline.
Double World Champion Odermatt was the first racer in history to win five Super-G World Cups in one season. After his success in the Rocky Mountains, the 25-year-old also has the best chance of winning the overall ranking. Sander’s best World Cup result so far was fourth place, Courchevel’s ninth place in the World Cup ensured the first German Super G podium since February 2020. At that time, Thomas Dreßen had finished third in Saalbach-Hinterglemm.
Dreßen (Mittenwald), who dropped out the day before shortly before the finish line, did not compete on Sunday. Simon Jocher (Garmisch) was also absent after suffering bruises on his arms and hips in a fall on the downhill. Romed Baumann (Kiefersfelden) was a good 13th, Josef Ferstl (Hammer) disappointed in 34th place. Dominik Schwaiger (Königssee) dropped out.
On Saturday Kilde had his sixth win of the season in the downhill and with 720 points he can’t be caught by Vincent Kriechmayr (Austria/514). As the best German, Sander finished ninth (+1.01 seconds).
“What a feeling, it’s been a really nice season,” said Kilde. Second was Canadian James Crawford (+0.61) ahead of world champion Odermatt (+0.63). Kriechmayr finished fourth (+0.70) on the last descent before the season finale in Soldeau/Andorra.
The Germans, on the other hand, have to wait for their first downhill podium in more than three years. Behind Sander, who surprised as the fastest in training and achieved his best result of the season, Baumann (+1.06) was eleventh, Ferstl (+1.28) was 18th. Dominik Schwaiger (+2.74/52.) had no chance at all.
The first descent in Aspen was canceled on Friday due to heavy snowfall. Before the World Cup finals in Andorra, the men still have two giant slaloms in Kranjska Gora in Slovenia.
