Hannes Reichelt resigned in 2021. © APA/afp / FABRICE COFFRINI

According to Hirscher: Is another former world champion getting fit for a comeback?

After Marcel Hirscher's comeback plan made waves last week, other ex-professionals felt motivated to consider a return to the ski circus. One of them is the Austrian Hannes Reichelt.

27 April 2024

From: sportsnews

Hannes Reichelt was once one of the greats and was one of the most talented speed specialists in the ski nation of Austria. In total, he became Austrian champion five times, won the Super-G World Cup in 2007/08 and the 2015 World Championship in Vail/Beaver Creek. After retiring from his career in 2021, he appeared mainly as an expert on live broadcasts or in sports programs. The last time his name was in the media was when he shared a video of his four-year-old son descending at Easter. In the comments, ski greats like Philipp Schörghofer and Christof Innerhofer predicted that they had discovered the next big ski star.

Now Reichelt drew attention to himself again: He shared a video in which he can be seen on an ergometer connected to medical measuring devices. The 43-year-old was tested at the Tirol Clinic in Innsbruck to see what his chances of a comeback were from a medical point of view. He wrote: “After I heard that from Marcel Hirscher, I wanted to see if I was fit enough for a comeback.” The Austrian did not reveal how specifically a comeback was in the cards.

The fans agree: They want to see Reichelt back on the slopes. Since Hirscher will be starting for the Netherlands next season, some have joked about including him in Team Netherlands as well. When asked how satisfied the doctor was with his performance, Reichelt replied: “so-so”. After a few injuries shortly before the end of his career, the editorial team believes that a comeback is difficult, especially because of strong, younger competitors in his own country - but it is also not unthinkable.