DSV eagles desperate:

“If only I knew what the Austrians are doing”

DSV eagle Philipp Raimund would like to know what the secret of the Austrians' success is.(Bild: GEPA)

While Austria is delighted with its dominant performances at the Four Hills Tournament, Germany is once again frustrated. They have been waiting for a tour victory for over twenty years now and this year, too, the previously high hopes were dashed by the ÖSV eagles. Now the air is thick.

"I'm not disappointed. Otherwise I would have been disappointed for 23 years," explains German head coach Stefan Horngacher with a small pinch of gallows humor. Because once again he and his team have to admit to themselves: Sven Hannawald's great triumph in 2002 remains the last German Tour victory. 

At the beginning of the season, hopes were high. Although the ÖSV eagles proved their good form there too, they were outdone time and time again by Pius Paschke. But the 34-year-old also failed to match Hannawald's legacy. 

"It's not that much better"
"They're enjoying it at the moment. They have an extreme flow - just like I did a few weeks ago," Paschke sums up soberly on "Eurosport", before adding defiantly: "It makes it seem like they're much better - but it's not that much better." However, the tour ranking speaks volumes. The veteran no longer has more than the hope of a conciliatory finish in Bischofshofen.

Pius Paschke(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Alongside Paschke, Andreas Wellinger (13th) and Philipp Raimund (15th), his team-mates are also well behind. The DSV eagles are therefore puzzled about the dominance of the ÖSV eagles. Raimund sums it up slightly desperately before the tour final: "If only I knew what the Austrians are doing, then I'd do the same".