Final in Saalbach

Men’s downhill in Saalbach from 11.15 am LIVE

Working on the slopes in Saalbach

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The organizers of the Ski World Cup final in Saalbach-Hinterglemm are still fighting for the men's downhill. The new start time has been set at 1 pm. After the snowfall during the night, work is still being carried out on the slopes and there is also a strong wind.

Here is the live ticker:

Here are the intermediate results:

International interest in the last race of the alpine skiing season is focused on Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, who could also win the downhill in Saalbach-Hinterglemm after taking the overall, giant slalom and super-G globes. Frenchman Cyprien Sarrazin wants to prevent this, but would have to make up 42 points to do so. For Austria, it's all about preventing a winless downhill season, only Vincent Kriechmayr, Stefan Babinsky and Otmar Striedinger are at the start.

Cyprien Sarrazin

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

ÖSV men were last without a win in 2015/16
The last time Austria's speed skiers were without a win in the downhill was in the winter of 2015/2016. Kriechmayr won four times in the previous season. This year, he finished second in Kvitfjell for the first time on the podium, which was also the only podium finish for the ÖSV. He would like to be at the top, but he will take it as it comes, said the Upper Austrian before the draw for the season finale. He could still snatch third place from Dominik Paris in the discipline ranking, although he is 44 points behind the South Tyrolean.

Looking back, Kriechmayr explained that he did not have one hundred percent confidence in his own abilities, especially at the classic races in Wengen and Kitzbühel. From his point of view, those were "five blown races". He misses having a training partner like triple Olympic champion Matthias Mayer, from whom he learned a lot about line choice, skiing technique and dealing with jumps. And he regrets that the team has become smaller and smaller due to withdrawals and injury-related absences.

With six athletes in the downhill, the Swiss have twice as many in the top 25 as Austria. Babinsky is the second best ÖSV skier in 15th place. After 17th place in the super-G on Friday, he was "disappointed" with himself. "Analyze, tick it off, then focus on Sunday," said the Styrian. Striedinger from Carinthia is only 24th in the rankings and his season has been difficult. "In America it shot me in the back, I didn't really get rid of it until Wengen. I had the flu in Kitzbühel. And then a lot of races were over."

A conciliatory conclusion?
Head coach Marko Pfeifer is certainly hoping for a conciliatory conclusion to the World Championship dress rehearsal. "Vinz can go fast at any time, Oti can also go fast down there. But the Swiss are standing there with a broad chest. Rogentin has been very superior in training, he should be highly rated. We'll give it our best shot and hopefully take home another podium." In Friday's super-G, Switzerland celebrated a triple victory with Rogentin, Loic Meillard and Arnaud Boisset, Odermatt finished fifth and Gino Caviezel eighth.

The race will take place on Sunday on the "Ulli Maier" course. Kriechmayr said that there was nothing to take away for the World Championships. "In the final, the downhill is always a mixture for men and women. There are so many bends for us men, I think there are a bit too many bends for the ladies too." Babinsky saw "some elements with waves that you have to catch well". And Striedinger noticed a similarity to Val Gardena/Gröden in terms of steepness in the upper section. "But every course has its own characteristics."

Will Odermatt break Maier's record?
If Odermatt wins the globe, he will be the first racer after Hermann Maier from Salzburg in 1999/2000 and 2001/01 to win four in one season - albeit in the same categories. The most successful Swiss was Pirmin Zurbriggen, who also won the combined in 1986/87.