Harsh words: Italy's ski boss attacks Vinatzer & Co.

Italy's ski stars had imagined the end of the World Cup to be very different. They left Saalbach-Hinterglemm disappointed on Sunday afternoon. But that wasn't enough: they were also bombarded with harsh criticism from the very top. At least some of them.

16. February 2025

From Saalbach-Hinterglemm

From:
Alexander Foppa

There were some bizarre moments that took place in the azure camp on the last day of the World Cup. It was exactly 12.01:XNUMX p.m. when Italy's winter sports association sent a message to the media. At that point, the decision in the World Cup slalom was still pending. But there was already a verdict - and it was a devastating one.

In the press release, men's racing director Massimo Carca analyzed the World Championships. Although the good performances of the gold medal winner in the team event and of Dominik Paris & Co. in the speed events were mentioned, at the same time poison arrows were fired at the slalom skiers. "We didn't adjust properly to the snow and the course. But Stefano Gross showed that with commitment and determination, anything would have been possible. He gave it his all, the youngsters didn't," Carca was quoted as saying.

“The boys didn’t give their all”

In fact, the 38-year-old Gross showed a strong first run in his last World Championship race. In the deciding race, he then fell from 14th to 20th place. The two South Tyroleans Alex Vinatzer and Tobias Kastlunger were eliminated, in positions 24 and 29. (click here for the race report)The race was particularly disappointing for Vinatzer, who had won World Championship bronze in Courchevel in 2023.

Massimo Carca drew a disastrous conclusion after the slalom. © Pentaphoto

After the race SportNews the 25-year-old from Grödner was confronted with criticism from his boss. He reacted with his usual coolness: "I had endless willpower. I went into the race really motivated, that wasn't the problem. On a day like this, it's important not to let emotions guide your analysis." He tried to do that after the completely botched first run.

"I had will without end" Alex Vinatzer

The second run went a little better at times - until Vinatzer lost his rhythm shortly before the finish and dropped out. "I lost the race in the first run. I couldn't cope with the round course and then risked everything. But I don't blame the course. If you want to be consistently at the front, you have to be good everywhere," said Vinatzer. The world championship title in the team event at the start of the World Championship was "little consolation" for him immediately after this disappointment.

"I didn't get to the point" Tobias Kastlunger

Alongside Vinatzer, Tobias Kastlunger also had to bite the bullet. He qualified for the deciding round in 29th place, but was then eliminated while clearly in the lead. "I just didn't get it right today," the Val Gardena native analyzed dryly. In his second World Championship participation, he noticed that "everything just has to work together" and that he had to give his very best performance to be able to ride at the front.

On February 4th, the first day of racing at the Ski World Championships, the Azzurri were beaming from the podium in Saalbach-Hinterglemm with team gold around their necks. Exactly 12 days later, the mood was completely different. The skiers, coaches and support staff left the World Championship venue with their heads hanging.