Three-time Streif winner Pirmin Zubriggen reveals why he can understand Marco Odermatt's tears after his 2nd place in Kitzbühel and how he comforted Odermatt's dad Walter in the finish area.
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- Marco Odermatt missed out on his first victory in the downhill in Kitzbühel by 7 hundredths, afterwards he can't hold back the tears.
- Pirmin Zurbriggen can understand it. Everyone knows that they have to be ready at that exact moment, he says in the Olympic talk, "and then you miss your goal by a hair's breadth, that really hurts".
- Zurbriggen also reveals the words he used to comfort Odermatt's father Walter in the finish area.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was there, the eccentric former world-class footballer from Sweden. Arnold Schwarzenegger did the honors, the Terminator. Or even Jürgen Klopp. But Pirmin Zurbriggen didn't have time to chat about films or football in the finish area at the Hahnenkamm races in Kitzbühel in mid-January, as the 1988 Olympic champion explains in the Olympic talk "Legends for eternity". "I was already very focused on skiing."
The now 63-year-old hotelier from Valais won three times on the Streif. So he knows what it takes to master the world's most challenging downhill run: Courage, strength, technique, luck. "I watch the races, including the slalom, with incredible emotion. I know what it means to ski down there. I know the tricky situations and what can happen on the course," says Zurbriggen.
Understanding for "Odi's" tears
The 40-time World Cup winner and four-time world champion took a particularly close look at Marco Odermatt, the perennial winner who is spoiled for success and is still missing that one big triumph: the downhill victory on the Hahnenkamm. Once again, "Odi" came second, beaten by seven hundredths by the Italian Giovanni Franzoni.
Odermatt was disappointed. There were tears at the award ceremony. Zurbriggen can empathize with Odermatt's sadness. "Anyone who wants to win has to take enormous risks. You have to be fully prepared, push yourself to 200. And everyone knows that they have to be ready at that exact moment, totally focused. If you then miss your target by a hair's breadth, it really hurts." There are also doubts. You've given everything, done everything - but it still wasn't enough. "Then you ask yourself: what else do I have to do to win?" One thing is clear, says Zurbriggen: "You also need luck."
Sympathy with Odermatt's mom
Zurbriggen comforted Odermatt's father Walter in the finish area, as he recounts. "I told him it wasn't that bad. So we'll certainly see Marco on the Streif again next year. He's had bad luck twice now, maybe he'll be lucky next time." In general, it is "sensational" how Odermatt has mastered the challenging piste.
Zurbriggen can imagine what Odermatt's parents still go through during a run. "I shudder every time I see how determined Marco is going into the race." If his son were to go down there like that, he would suffer with him. "As a father, I would struggle even more. And even more so when I think about mommy. She'll be sweating blood. You know what can happen. In the mousetrap, for example."
Even if Odermatt is an excellent technician, Zurbriggen says: "Every skier has to push themselves to the limit on the Streif." He knows from his own experience: you can't win on the downhill without taking risks.
