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Just in time for the Olympic Games, Ramon Zenhäusern is in shape. Just don’t get Corona now …
The fact that Ramon Zenhäuser missed the podium by a rank or 19 hundredths in the Adelboden slalom could not annoy him: “Basically, I am very satisfied.” Postponed is not canceled: “At some point I want to be on the podium in Adelboden. I’ll be driving for a few more years, then it will work out, ”he said confidently in the“ sport panorama ”.
It was the hoped-for liberation for Zen houses. After finishing 22nd and 18th in the previous slaloms, he was finally back in the top of the world. Johannes Strolz’s surprise victory also pleased him: “I think stories like this are brilliant. It shows how tight it is. ” The rivalry with Austria’s favorite enemy also takes a back seat. The 2-meter man blamed the piste workers for a “complicity”: “The fact that the number 38 car won shows how well the piste was groomed.”
I have set up an automatic protection mechanism and no longer dared to fully attack.
The good result was only possible because Zenhäusern finally recovered from his training fall and, according to him, had “no excuse” left. In November in Sweden, he injured his back and shoulder. But the problems were not least of a mental nature: “I set up an automatic protective mechanism and didn’t dare to attack fully,” said the 29-year-old. He never had any doubts about the December results. «The coaches always believed in us. The slalom is a crazy thing, it goes so fast, millimeters decide. “
The fact that Ramon Zenhäusern ultimately only missed a podium place by one place or 19 hundredths in the Adelboden slalom could not upset him. He was “basically very satisfied”. And postponed is by no means canceled. “I’ll be driving for a few more years, then it will work out with the podium in Adelboden,” said the Valais confidently in the “sportpanorama” conversation.
To a certain extent, the fall also ruined the sometimes unorthodox preparation at the OYM in Cham. There he increased his stability and balance with exercises on ice skates, among other things. «It was a unique opportunity. Nutrition, training, science – everything under one roof, ”enthused Zen houses.
If I test positive from tomorrow, the Olympic Games will be over for me.
The worries about the back are a thing of the past, and so are those about the shoulder for the time being. Corona and its manifold outgrowths create a delicate sideline for the racers. “You got used to the whole thing. It probably eats up more energy for the supervisors than us drivers, ”Zen houses put into perspective. But he is also aware: “If I test positive from tomorrow, the Olympic Games will be over for me.” It means «watch out, watch out, watch out.» But without the luck factor, that would be of no use either.
So the order of the day in Adelboden was: keep your distance. Nevertheless, he “just enjoyed” being able to compete in front of so many fans again. “Sport lives from the audience and their joy,” said Zenhäusern, who immediately followed up with an apology to his fans – precisely because of the distance mentioned for selfies and autographs.
Most drivers think it’s awesome!
The full grandstand at Chuenisbärgli had caused irritation among journalists from nations that were more restrictive in the fight against pandemics. After the slalom, Manuel Feller joked that Switzerland wanted to be completely infected in one weekend. And what do the other drivers say about the full house, Ramon Zenhäusern? “Most think it’s awesome!”
Last year’s winner from Alta Badia continues with training in Adelboden. On Wednesday there will be a night event in Crans-Montana, followed by a deployment to Wengen. Then the focus is already on Beijing. As in 2018, when Zenhäusern fulfilled a dream for himself with the silver medal in Pyeongchang, he also wants to cause a sensation in the Chinese metropolis. The motto remains the same: “You can trust yourself in everything, expect nothing.”