Despite his World Championship year, Marco Odermatt has made winning the downhill on the Streif his ultimate goal for the season. With Franjo von Allmen, of all people, a team colleague could throw a spanner in the works.
24.01.2025, 04:01
24.01.2025, 08:17
SDA
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Wengen is followed by Kitzbühel: the super-G takes place on the Streif on Friday, followed by the legendary downhill on Saturday. Marco Odermatt is the absolute top favorite in both races.
- However, the man from Nidwalden has never been able to win on the Streif. "I have a big goal, that's the downhill in Kitzbühel," s0 Odermatt before the season opener. There is a lot to be said for him now, but his biggest rival is team-mate Franjo von Allmen of all people.
The talents in the Swiss speed team are pushing hard for the top. While Odermatt was by far the youngest when he started out in the World Cup in 2018 among the likes of Patrick Küng, Carlo Janka, Mauro Caviezel and Beat Feuz, "things have changed dramatically since then," says the man from Nidwalden. And adds with a laugh that in autumn 2023, when the team traveled to the first speed races of the season, he felt "like I was in the wrong movie and really old".
"Franjo was never dependent on many tips"
While Odermatt used to be able to count on tips from Feuz on visits and in conversations, the role of the ski high-flyer has changed diametrically. He is now the one who gives advice to the up-and-coming talents. Which is no trouble for him, as Odermatt says, except - and here he takes the opportunity to make a joking remark in a media round on Wednesday evening at the Swiss hotel in Kitzbühel - with "Franjo, I should probably give him a little less advice in future".
Because Franjo von Allmen has come very, very close to him this season. The carefree youngster from the Bernese Oberland has finished in 2nd place behind Odermatt (in Val Gardena/Gröden and Wengen) and Alexis Monney (Bormio) in each of the last three downhill races. Von Allmen's rise to the top of the World Cup went very quickly. Odermatt also emphasizes: "Franjo followed through with his plan and made rapid progress. He has always been someone who wasn't dependent on a lot of tips."
"Marco is even more consistent than me"
Fifteen minutes after Odermatt, Von Allmen was also asked on Wednesday how he saw his relationship with Odermatt. It has indeed changed in the last two years, says the man from Boltig, who celebrated his first World Cup victory a week ago with the super-G in Wengen. However, it hasn't changed because Von Allmen has become a major competitor, "but because we are now together much more, which wasn't the case before." They have got to know each other better, "all in a good way".
However, he had already been able to talk to Odermatt on an equal footing as a very young rider and without any great achievements in the World Cup. "That's something I really appreciate about him. You are recognized by him as a person and never have the feeling that you are beneath him." Despite his recent top results, the 23-year-old believes he is "not quite on the same level" as Odermatt in sporting terms. Marco has a broader base and is more consistent than me."
Not yet in control of the Hausbergkante
The moment of shock in the second training session when he crossed his skis on the Hausbergkante after a long set was "immediately" put behind him, said Von Allmen. At the same time, he admitted that he "hadn't quite got to grips" with this spot yet. In 2024, the Streif debutant was on his way to a podium finish in the second downhill before he missed the gate immediately after the Hausbergkante at the entrance to the traverse.
"I have to master this passage better in the race on Saturday." However, Von Allmen says he won't worry too much about this, he doesn't want to "overthink it too much, because I know that I can ski well by now". He will have a good plan and try to implement it in the race, says the man from the Bernese Oberland.
The right winning mix
Odermatt, who is facing his eighth run on the Streif and also missed the gate after the Hausbergkante on Wednesday, definitely has a plan too. Looking back, "in my first years in Kitzbühel, when I was always very fresh, I almost felt closer to victory than in 2024, when I was already much more experienced. It's almost like Franjo now: you get into the flow and just go full throttle." It takes a mix of experience, attack, confidence, gliding and technical skills, says the downhill world champion.
Odermatt obviously has the whole package to be the fastest on the mythical Streif this year and close the last big gap in his palmarès. However, it's also quite possible that the World Cup dominator feels like he's in the wrong movie again, as he did a year ago when Cyprien Sarrazin beat him with a dream run. And perhaps also a little old, because he is being overshadowed by a youngster from Bern who has never won a World Cup downhill before.
And it is by no means out of the question that a smiling third racer will make a successful Streif move on Saturday.
