Kitz final training

Second training in Kitzbühel – LIVE from 11.30 am

Stefan Eichberger surprised everyone in the final training run in Kitzbühel.(Bild: GEPA)

Strong performance from the ÖSV athletes at the final training session in Kitzbühel: Stefan Eichberger surprised everyone with a top run and finished second. Daniel Hemetsberger raced to fourth place. Italian Mattia Casse was the fastest.

Styrian Stefan Eichberger achieved the second best time in the second training session for the Hahnenkamm downhill on the Streif in Kitzbühel. Only the Italian Mattia Casse was fastest on Wednesday in the sunshine, with the Norwegian Adrian Smiseth Sejersted in third place. Eichberger was 0.54 seconds behind Casse, Daniel Hemetsberger was fourth for the time being with +0.64. The most famous downhill in the Alpine Ski World Cup takes place on Saturday, with the super-G on Friday.

Here are the results:

It was bitter for the ÖSV team that another speed specialist, Felix Hacker, apparently suffered an injury. The Carinthian stopped his run in the steep slope and grabbed his left knee, he was then flown from the mountain by helicopter for examinations.

Eichberger, sixth in the downhill in Val Gardena/Gröden this season, was satisfied with his run. "I resolved to ski the sections that didn't work so well yesterday in training a little better. And those were the sections that I simply managed better," said the 24-year-old. In particular, he took a closer look at the steep slope, Gschöss exit and the Hausbergkante up to the traverse in the video. "It worked well today anyway."

Hemetsberger has been in race mode
Hemetsberger explained that he was already in race mode. "I went full throttle today and many others didn't," said the veteran. "So you have to put everything into perspective, but for me it was important that I did it because I got back into my skiing a bit." Some athletes completed their runs with gate faults, including Stefan Babinsky (+1.33) and Swiss top star Marco Odermatt (+2.02). Babinsky was optimistic afterwards: "I'm doing extremely well, I have a good feeling and I'm definitely ready for the weekend."

Otmar Striedinger finished just outside the top ten with +1.52. "There were some good sections. I was right at the front up to the Oberhausberg, which makes me feel positive for the weekend," he said.

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen, winner of the super-G in Wengen, had a scary moment on his run. In the compression before the traverse, he crossed his skis after a long jump, but was able to avoid a fall.