In his 100th World Cup race, "The Herminator" won his second consecutive downhill of the season at Val d'Isère today where he finished ahead of a very consistent Stephan Eberharter, winner at Lake Louise and also 2nd at Beaver Creek behind Hermann.
Two more Austrians came in behind them — Lasse Kjus was not at the start this time because he wanted to rest before tomorrow's giant slalom.
Daron Rahlves was the best US skier in 15th place, while Chad Fleischer was 20th.
When Hermann was a child, his only dream was to become a World Cup ski racer. Among his heroes was downhill's Kaiser Franz Klammer, winner of 25 major speed events including the legendary 1976 Olympic downhill at Innsbruck which boosted ski racing's image all over the world.
He tried so hard to win the 1998 Nagano Olympic downhill that he achieved one of the most incredible crashes in ski racing's history...
When he entered the Austrian national team after many years of hard work as a ski instructor and a bricklayer, he competed in the giant slalom and super G.
The super G turned out to be ideal for his instinctive techniques and incredible power. After winning one in February 1997 — six weeks after breaking his hand while competing in his first downhill — he was naturally attracted by what the Europeans ski fans call the "queen of all alpine disciplines."
His return to high speed at Beaver Creek went smoother than at an earlier race in Chamonix. He finished 9th in the first downhill, held on the demanding Birds of Prey course and 2nd in the next one.
He tried so hard to imitate Klammer and win the 1998 Nagano Olympic downhill that he achieved one of the most incredible crashes in ski racing's history. He became a legend in his own way when he stood up after his spectacular and unscheduled flight, calmly brushed the snow off his shoulder and waved to his parents sitting at home in front of their TV screen. A few days later, he won two improbable gold medals in super G and giant slalom, which made him even more famous as "The Herminator."
But he wants more now — and soon. Since he plans to retire in 2002 after the World Cup finals planned at Flachau he has less than twenty downhill races left to get close to Klammer in the winner's list and put his name on the golden book of all the main "classics" which are Val d'Isére, Val Gardena, Wengen, Kitzbuhel, Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
His win at Val d'Isére perfectly illustrated his great tactical sense. Still not the best glider on the tour, he knew that he had to fight very hard in the lower part to have a chance to win it. In fact, he achieved an almost perfect run in the last third of the course where he was able to pass his teammate Eberharter, who was faster than him in the upper part.
The final section of the course at Val d'Isére is quite exciting with some spectacular jumps, a tough compression followed by some sharp hairpin turns which demand great power in the leg and in the mind.
At the end of a dramatic race, he set a new best time which enables him to celebrate his 9th downhill success since December 1997 and to put him name of the list of past great winners such as the legendary Jean Claude Killy, Karl Schranz, Franz Klammer, Pirmin Zurbriggen or Lasse Kjus.
"It's good to be with them, it has been a tough and fast race. I'm happy," he said afterwards to the TV cameras without apparent emotion.
He wants to stay focused and sharp for the giant slalom on Sunday in which he will try to become the first skier in the World Cup era to win both Val d'Isére competitions in a row.
This would be a great way for sure to celebrate his 28th birthday which took place last Thursday. The other skiers are happy to have been invited to his party on the "OK" course.
— Manuèle Lang, World Cup Correspondent
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