Tuesday, January 04, 2022
Vlhova remains the slalom dominator
Torment and big surprise at Tour de Ski
Friedrich Moch storms to an overriding third place at the final of the Tour de Ski, so that the national coach cheers: “How cool is that”. Katharina Hennig has to go through a valley of torment among the women, but is successful. Meanwhile, the DSV athletes disappoint on the slalom slope.
Katharina Hennig has positioned herself for the Olympic Games in Beijing. In the Tour de Ski for cross-country skiers, the Oberwiesenthaler achieved her personal goal in twelfth place on the final ascent to Alpe Cermis and finished in ninth place in the top 10. In their wake, the men followed suit on their final stage: Friedrich Moch was almost sensationally third behind the Norwegian Sjur Roethe and Alexander Spitsow from Russia, ahead of Lucas Bögl. “How cool is that”, cheered national coach Peter Schlickenrieder.
Natalja Neprjajewa from Russia and the Norwegian Johannes Klaebo, who were in the lead after the fifth stage, could not be deprived of their overall victories. Neprjajewa finished fourth in the day’s victory for Norwegian Heidi Weng, and Klaebo fifth this time after his four day victories. Both overall winners each received 55,000 Swiss francs (around 53,000 euros) in prize money.
The last stage was torture for Hennig. “The ascent to the Alpe Cermis has never been so difficult for me in the four years. It was one of the toughest races ever. It is all the better that I made it again”, said the Saxon, who received 6000 Swiss francs for her ninth place. “After the tough start in Lenzerheide, I hardly expected it anymore,” said the 25-year-old, who is now starting her preparations for the Olympic Games.
DSV-Qunitett disappointed
National coach Schlickenrieder and sporting director Andreas Schlütter see Hennig as a potential medal candidate for major events. “Beijing may come too early, but now it has everything it needs to land right at the front,” said Schlickenrieder. Hennig would have improved in all parameters and is now a constant candidate for the top ten in the rather unpopular skating technique. Schlütter noted that Hennig had everything in his own hands in order to be even more successful in the future.
The men are also making progress with a view to the Olympics. Moch’s third place was the highlight of the development so far, said Schlickenrieder. I thought it was all exciting. “It was unbelievable fun. You quickly forget the exertion,” said the 21-year-old from Isny im Allgäu.
Meanwhile, Petra Vlhova remains the great dominator in the slalom this Olympic winter. The 26-year-old Slovak won the traditional start of the year in Zagreb ahead of her big competitor Mikaela Shiffrin from the USA (+ 0.50 seconds). Third was the Austrian Katharina Liensberger, 2.11 seconds back. For Vlhova it was the third success in a row in Zagreb. In five slalom races this Olympic winter, the overall World Cup winner was four times at the top. Only in Killington did she have to admit defeat to Shiffrin.
The American and two-time Olympic champion celebrated her comeback on the rough slopes in Zagreb. The girlfriend of Norwegian ski star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde had missed the gate run in Lienz after a corona infection. “I couldn’t train much,” Shiffrin reported before the start. For the alpine quintet of the German Ski Association (DSV) it was disappointing for the second time in a row. Lena Dürr, who made her World Cup debut in Zagreb 14 years ago, finished eleventh. After the first round, the SV Germering athlete was sixth. Jessica Hilzinger achieved her best result of the season with 21st place. Emma Aicher, Marlene Schmotz and Paulina Schlosser missed the points.