Ski racer Simon Jocher caused a bang in the last World Cup race of the year. At the Super-G in the Olympic resort of Livigno, the 29-year-old from Garmisch finished fifth, right in the middle of the world elite. The placement was the best of his career and also made him the first German downhill skier to qualify for the Alpine Olympic men’s race in neighboring Bormio.
Jocher, who had to undergo a spinal disc operation in March, managed to ride the supposedly easy course in bright sunshine without any major blunders. With the high start number 32, he missed his first podium finish by just 0.06 seconds at the same time as South Tyrolean Dominik Paris. In his 60th start in the World Cup, he finished in the top ten for only the third time.
Meanwhile, Marco Schwarz from Austria kept the strong Swiss downhill team in check. The 2021 combined world champion won ahead of Swiss Alexis Monney (0.20 seconds), Franjo van Allmen (+0.25) and Marco Odermatt (+0.29). It was his second victory within six days after his success in the giant slalom in Alta Badia and his eighth overall.
Veteran Romed Baumann and the young Luis Vogt did not make it into the top 30 and are still chasing their first top 15 result this season, which would mean they would at least meet “half” the German Olympic standard. Since last weekend, Jocher had already placed in the top 15 when he came 14th in the downhill run in Val Gardena.
Livigno was on the World Cup calendar for the first time. At the end of the year, the men traditionally ride in Bormio, an hour away, but the Stelvio there is already being prepared for the men’s alpine races and ski mountaineering during the Olympics in February. In Livigno, ski freestylers and snowboarders will fight for medals at the same time.
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