Izzi ahead of Cortina

“Picking up where I left off”

The next stop of the Snowboardcross World Cup is scheduled for Saturday in Cortina d'Ampezzo with a night race. ÖSV ace Alessandro Hämmerle is looking forward to the race, although it is unlikely to take place in the best of conditions.

The first test for the snowboard crossers in Cortina d'Ampezzo, where a World Cup night race will be held on Saturday, was not really conclusive. "Not much snow, but they got halfway there anyway," says Alessandro Hämmerle, "there will certainly be changes to the course."

Alessandro Hämmerle trained at home last week.(Bild: Eric Themel)

"Izzi" came to Cortina well prepared, where he finished ninth and fifth last winter and achieved his best result to date with a second place in January 2022. Most recently at the World Cup stop in Beidahu (Chn), where the Montafon native celebrated a strong comeback after back problems in fifth and second place, he was able to recharge his batteries. The Ländle ace spent the past week at home. "I trained at the Olympic Center and in Montafon and enjoyed the time," says Hämmerle, "it was good, I'm glad we were able to do so much."

And now the goal for the next World Cup race is clear. "I want to pick up where I left off in Beidahu," says Izzi ahead of today's qualifiers, which start at 6.30 pm. But not under optimal conditions. "The course will be narrow and a bit minimalist due to the lack of snow," says the 31-year-old.

Leitner is missing
Youngster Elias Leitner will have to miss Cortina due to a torn collateral ligament, but will try to continue the season with a splint. "I saw him a lot in rehab last week. My advice to him was to just carry on pain-free," says Hämmerle, who has often struggled with injuries himself, "it's annoying when you're in such good shape. But he doesn't need to choke through pain at his age. Elias still has many good years ahead of him."