Day 2 at the world championships, and men in action.
This slope is not the same of ladies's one, for speed events.
Again, though, it's an easy one, without very hard section nor jumps... being wide many course can be set and course setting might be the key given it'll be done by Norvegian and Svindal's coach.
Last year's race isn't relevant. Late season race, with "rotten" snow, that early displayed mark. Low starting bibs were advantaged: 1st Innerhofer #8, 2nd Pinturault #5, 3rd Hirscher #2 (in one of his rare SG race), 4th Marsaglia #7.
Svindal is the big favoured and men to beat. He is SG Cup leader, in four SGs this season won three and made a second place.
Super-G is a strange discipline because it's a speed event but there are no time trial, there's a race inspection but you can't try gates at a race-like speed, so it's much about improvisation, it can be said you must know
how to ski to compete in a Super-G. And actually Svindal know how to ski.
Behind Svindal there's Innerhofer. Beside being defending World Champion, and last year winner on this slope I don't give him so many chanches. He is in great shape but he may not like the snow conditions.
3rd favourite in Norway's no.2 Jansrud. Again he could be advantaged by the course setting (by his coach), but again he's been below the expectations so far in this season. He's often near the podium but no major results.
I see Reichelt as possible outsider. His raising form, the ability of austrian team in setting the skis (there will be different kind of snow on the course, I think only eskimos have a word to describe it all). He's one who can possibly put together all the technical elements needed in this race.
From the first group:
Klotz, is in good form but it's not a top racer.
Theaux, I like him, his aggressivity, but I don't trust him on this snow, sensibility more than angles will be required today.
Heel, about him I'd say the same of Theaux, though I think he's more overall skilled, I won't trust him but he's able of anything.
Mayer, being austrian, can be a possible outsider. And so could be for Streitberger and Baumann who, though, had a bad season... Championships focus for them? Who knows.
On this kind of snow canadians must be kept in high considerations.
Although their skills among turns aren't good enough there's their key racer Guay who's one of those able to give something more in important events.
And then there's Kostelic, who comes from three podiums in a row in three different disciplines: Slalom and Super-Combined in Kitz, and the city event in Moscow.
The croatian looks to be the one in the best shape, and although Super-G isn't his favourite discipline a good condition and confidence can drive to a good result, thing that actually happened in Garmish when Kostelic who the bronze medal in Super-G following that terrific january.
This said, here the picks:
Mayer to podium 1 unit @4 Lost -1
Reichelt to podium 2 units @3.5 Lost -1
Kostelic to podium 1 unit @11 Lost -1
Winner: Reichelt 1 unit @11 Lost -1
h2h Streitberger - Theaux - pick Streitberger 3 units @2.02 Lost -3
I don't really trust Streitberger, but I think Theaux won't like this snow conditions.
-7
It's very disappointing to see a whole season work and "return of investmenst" to disappear in just two days.
Anyway there's to be happy for the analysis that were corrects.
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Super-G podium on the Planai:
1) Ligety (USA), 2) De Tessieres (Fra), 3) Svindal (Nor) |
The course was set like a real Super-Giant, so no surprise to see on the podium two Giant-Slalom specialist like Ligety and frenchmen De Tessieres. These two outsiders kicked my two "men" Reichelt and Mayer off the podium.
No excuses, both Ligety and De Tessieres made a great run and deserved their placements. Svindal recorded many "green" intermediate times but in the final section a little loss of balance and control resulted in a wider line and a loss of speed causing the 3rd placement.
De Tessieres displays the widest smile as he shouldn't neither race; GdT was the reserve of the french team, and only Clarey injury let him be in. As he said to Eurosport:
"Five days ago, I was down in the dumps at home. Unfortunately, Johan got injured. It's an odd feeling. But I really meant to do well, I was eager"
No large smiles in two teams. Austria and Italy arrived with a great condition and great expectations.
Both came back withouth medals.
Austria still with no medals after the two Super-Gs. As Infostrada sport tweeted:
Team Austria has had at least one medallist in the men's Super G race in 7 of the last 8 world championships.
While Italy achieve the worst result of this season in Super-G: Innerhofer, 7th, couldn't defend Garmisch's golden medal; Marsaglia second in Super-G Cup Standing was 20th; and Heel was 22th
Video of the three best runs: Ligety, De Tessieres (at 1:47 min), Svindal (at 3:16 min, pay attention at 4:49)
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