Alpine skiing
After the announced sensational comeback, Marcel Hirscher verbally fights against the high expectations. “I won’t judge it by results, but by experiences. With every experience I gain, the project is a success (sic!),” said the eight-time overall World Cup winner on Monday. “For the first time in my life, the results are truly irrelevant.”
30.04.2024 12.18
Online since today, 12:18 p.m
Hirscher recently made international headlines with the announcement that he would return to alpine skiing under the Dutch flag. Since then he has received “a lot of encouragement,” said the 35-year-old from Salzburg on ServusTV. Regarding the duration of his comeback, Hirscher said he would do it as long as he was having fun. “I have two companies, the kids, and there’s a lot to do on the side. What disciplines will emerge.”
The 67-time World Cup winner emphasized that skiing has “developed massively” technically since he ended his career five years ago. “The big changes are that there are new players, new heroes of skiing.” During this time, Hirscher says he rarely flew through the bars. “In total there were five days of training in poles per season. That means five times five is 25.”
debate
What drives ski stars back from “retirement”?
Herbst doesn’t believe in a duel with Odermatt
Like many others, former slalom specialist Reinfried Herbst can currently only speculate about Hirscher’s true motives. “I can already hear that he of course wants to go back, but at the end of the day I still don’t believe that his goal is so specific that he matches with Marco Odermatt in the giant slalom in the World Cup,” said the 45-year-old year olds.
In addition to the fun factor emphasized by Hirscher, Herbst also mentioned the advantages for the Hirscher ski brand Van Deer. “When he drives there now, it’s also about finding more feedback from the material. It’s his company, his skis.” About Hirscher as a Dutch citizen, Herbst said: “I see it like a semester abroad, but he is and remains an Austrian.”
