08 MAR 2001 > Men's Downhill
Maier Takes Downhill Race and Title
Race Results

Hermann Maier surprised the "White Circus" and himself in winning the last World Cup downhill of the season, an achievement which didn't seem possible even yesterday.

"I pushed really hard on my poles at the start, four or five times, and this gave me great speed right from the beginning on," Maier said. "In fact, I was by far the fastest in the upper part today. My skis were quite fast too I must say! My serviceman did a great job!"

"It's great to compete when you feel that you have nothing to lose!"

Only 17th in the training run on Wednesday, over a second behind the leader, "The Herminator" once again skied beyond his limits and finished 35/100 of a second ahead of Stephan Eberharter, his rival in downhill this season. This superb result allowed him to clinch, for the second consecutive year, the Crystal Globe in downhill.

This win marks Maier's 12th victory this season and his 40th since February 1997. Another success in one of the two remaining races here would equal the achievement of the legendary Ingemar Stenmark, who won 13 races back in 1979. The best performer on the World Cup tour was Switzerland's Vreni Schneider, who won 14 events in 1989.

Maier celebrated his fourth success in five races here at Are. The World Cup leader has only lost one race since the World Championships at St. Anton, the second downhill at Kvitfjell in which he came in 2nd.

He fought hard from the first to the last inch of the course here today to defend his chances for another Crystal Globe — his eleventh since 1998.

"Yesterday evening I carefully watched my training run on video and I studied the intermediate times, too," Maier explained after the race. "This helped me to find out that I was quite fast in the lower section after making a mistake at the top," he added. "It was quite a strong boost for my morale and it helped me to find back all my momentum. Apparently, I compete the best under great pressure, it helps me to be more concentrated and even more relaxed. It's great to compete when you feel that you have nothing to lose!"

Norway's Kenneth Siversten reached his very first World Cup podium after taking 3rd ahead of Switzerland's Franco Cavegn and Austria's Josef Strobl. The new downhill World Champion, Hannes Trinkl, was 7th and Lasse Kjus, 8th.

In 12th place, Chad Fleischer was the best US skier while Daron Rahlves was a far 18th. Rahlves had a hard time regaining his momentum after the tough time he went through last week at Kvitfjell, Norway, where he was disqualified in the first downhill and then skied out in the super G. A year ago, he won the downhill twice on the Olympiabakke course.

Fritz Strobl was not able to repeat his top-3 performance from Kvitfjell. He had to be content with a more modest 9th, but he remains 3rd in the downhill rankings behind Maier and Eberharter.

Maier commented that he is normally not so efficient on such a gliding course, but with 12 wins, despite all the race cancellations due to weather, it's his best World Cup season so far.

"But it's not finished yet," he said. "My main goal this week was the GS World Cup title. I have not forgotten my disqualification of Val d'Isère. It will be tough to be at my best level Saturday because I have almost no time to switch from the longer speed skis to the more aggressive shorter GS skis. But I will give my best in the race, I can guarantee it!"

Switzerland's Michael von Gruenigen, the leader by 40 points in the GS standings prior to this last race can finish no worse than 1st or 2nd to be sure to clinch his fourth GS Globe. This ensures a dramatic race this weekend.

Friday, the super G races will take place and although Maier has already won the World Cup title, he will not take it too easy. He wants his family and friends who came to Are in support to be proud of him.

Among his toughest rivals in that last speed event will be Eberharter, 3rd last week in Norway. Stephan, twice a winner in downhill this season, was very disappointed by his narrow margin of defeat after achieving quite a good run.

"I knew it would be tough to win the globe, for Hermann is a great fighter," he admitted. "I had a good run, as well as a good season, in downhill. It's tough to lose the Cup in the last race after having been so often in the lead this winter. Now I aim to remain at least 2nd in the final overall World Cup standings."

— Patrick Lang, World Cup Correspondent

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