Spectacular comeback: ski legend drives the Streif - and collects nasty saying from ex-colleagues

Created: 01/21/2022 05:07

By: Christoph Klaucke

Ski legend Marcel Hirscher tackles the legendary Streif descent.

© GEPA pictures/ Thomas Bachun via www.imago-images.de

Ski superstar Marcel Hirscher is making an unexpected comeback.

The Austrian throws himself down the legendary Streif descent - and earns scorn and ridicule.

Kitzbühel - On Friday and Sunday it's finally that time again: The legendary Hahnenkahm race on the notorious Streif in Kitzbühel is on the program in the Ski World Cup.

But even before departure there is the first big surprise.

Austria's ski legend Marcel Hirscher is back on two boards and is celebrating a spectacular winter sports comeback - for which he also receives a little scorn and ridicule from an old colleague.

Ski superstar Marcel Hirscher drives the Streif - ex-colleague annoyed by "comeback".

"Now it's getting serious. Time to drive the Streif," writes Hirscher on Instagram. However, the double Olympic champion from 2018 was only a precursor to the first downhill training session in Kitzbühel on Wednesday. "The sporting appeal of conquering the Streif has always been on my list," said the 32-year-old. During his active time, during which he had won seven world championship gold medals and 67 World Cup races, he already competed in Super-G and combined on the Streif-Alm.

He also wants to drive again before training on Thursday and the two races on Friday and Sunday.

A great challenge for the former "zigzag driver".

Because Hirscher did not celebrate the greatest successes of his career in the speed disciplines, but in the technical disciplines.

He won World Championship gold in slalom three times, and at the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang he won the giant slalom and the combined event.

I don't look at the forerunners.

Matthias Mayer about Marcel Hirscher

While his former rival Felix Neureuther devotes himself extensively to family planning, Hirscher went into business after retiring in 2019.

The eight-time overall World Cup winner wants to promote his own ski brand (Van Deer).

“I don't look at the forerunners.

If you really want to attract media interest, then of course you can do it that way,” said Austria's top driver Matthias Mayer, slightly annoyed.

Marcel Hirscher dares the Streif descent - and collects a nasty saying from another ski legend

Hirscher's post earns nearly 100,000 likes on Instagram.

The ski superstar is celebrated by his fans for his bravery.

Some joke that the Olympic qualification isn't over yet or even hope for a real comeback for next season.

Former US racer Daron Rahlves and Norwegian Kjetil Jansrud also reacted to the post.

"There's a small but important red line between serious and stupid.

But that's just how you are.

I can't wait to see you crouch and jump over the mousetrap," writes Olympic champion Jansrud, sending two laughing emojis.

For classification: The athletes fly up to 80 meters on the steepest part of the Streif with a gradient of 85 percent.

DSV ace Josef Ferstl suffered a serious fall during training on Wednesday and had to be flown to the hospital by helicopter. A day later he showed his bloody injuries.

It will be spectacular again on Friday, hopefully without any falls: Merkur.de will report extensively on the Hahnenkamm race in the live ticker.