Finger in ÖSV wound

Kriechmayr: “We missed certain things”

Vincent Kriechmayr is not satisfied with his season.(Bild: ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Vincent Kriechmayr missed the sensation on Friday and was unable to snatch the super-G globe from Marco Odermatt at the World Cup final in Saalbach. After the race, which he finished in sixth place, the 32-year-old was self-critical and not satisfied with the season. 

"Of course it's a modest season. If you don't have a major event, a bullet is the declared goal," Kriechmayr reacted self-critically as usual at the 2025 World Championship venue. Like Odermatt, who picked up his third globe this winter after the overall and giant slalom World Cup, Kriechmayr had no chance of winning the bib race this time.

 "I think I can find two or three tenths. Victory might have been difficult, but that's part of it," was the 32-year-old's summary. The other Austrians missed out on the top ten in front of 8,600 spectators.

Odermatt relieved
Despite 13th place, Raphael Haaser saved his third position in the Super-G World Cup ahead of Rogentin, who won for the first time in his 100th race. "It certainly wasn't the best run, but it would have been a solid one. It was simply difficult," said Haaser. Stefan Babinsky finished 17th out of 23 starters, with Daniel Danklmaier in 21st and penultimate position. Lukas Feurstein caused a moment of shock with a catch at the penultimate gate. His right forearm had to be x-rayed afterwards.

Kriechmayr praised the Swiss for their dominance - and at the same time put his finger in the Austrian wound. "They are doing a great job. We certainly missed out on certain things, you can only congratulate them. They had seven people at the start, so it's clear that a few will be drawn at the front." Start number 6 won ahead of 4 and 5. The last time there had been three Swiss in front was the quadruple victory in the downhill in Veysonnaz on January 19, 1996.

Marco Odermatt celebrates the next bullet.(Bild: APA/BARBARA GINDL)

Odermatt was glad to have drawn Kriechmayr as his immediate starting number neighbor (14 and 15). "Otherwise it might have been close again. You could see that it was warm from the start and got warmer from runner to runner." The last race of the season takes place on Sunday with the downhill - and could end with Odermatt's next Kugel triumph.