As of: January 21, 2024, 2:43 p.m
By: Korbinian Kothny
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Linus Straßer wins the slalom in Kitzbühel.
The Munich native prevailed after an outstanding second run on the Ganslernhang.
Kitzbühel
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Linus Straßer is the next German winner in Kitzbühel!
After Josef Ferstl in the Super-G in 2019 and Thomas Dreßen in the downhill in 2018, the 31-year-old won the slalom in the Mecca of skiing.
It is the first German success on the Ganslernhang since 2014. Back then, Felix Neureuther won the slalom in Kitzbühel for the second time.
For Straßer it is the first success in the “Gamsstadt”.
Straßer fourth German slalom winner in Kitzbühel
The Munich native is only the fourth German to be crowned winner on the Ganslernhang.
Straßer prevailed on his “local mountain” in Austria’s ski mecca ahead of the Swede Kristoffer Jakobsen (+0.14 seconds) and the two-time Kitz winner Daniel Yule from Switzerland (+0.20).
Before Straßer, only Felix Neureuther (2010 and 2014), Armin Bittner (1989) and Neureuther's father Christian (1979) had won on the famous “Ganslernhang” from the DSV perspective.
For Straßer it was the fourth victory in the World Cup, the third in a slalom after Zagreb 2021 and Schladming 2022.
Linus Straßer wins the slalom in Kitzbühel.
© Expa/Johann Groder
Straßer sheds tears after victory in Kitzbühel
Straßer was “extremely proud” and shed a few tears at the finish.
“The goal was, I absolutely wanted to take a chamois home with me.
The victory – it has to happen, or you have to let it happen.
I feel like I'm skiing better than ever before." The reward: a 100,000 euro bonus for Straßer, who learned to ski in Kitzbühel.
However, he has always struggled with the “Schweinsberg”, as he once called the “Ganslern”.
“His second run was one piece from top to bottom.
This is how you drive Kitzbühel,” said ARD expert Felix Neureuther.
Sebastian Holzmann and Anton Tremmel took places 22 and 23. (
sid/kk
)