Overall World Cup winner thanks to Corona? Kilde: “Just talk”

“In my opinion I had a good season, from the first race to the last,” he said at a media briefing. “It could have turned out differently. But that’s just talk.” The 28-year-old also has concerns about the new season, which will start in pandemic mode. “That was probably the biggest goal I’ve ever had. But of course, it wouldn’t hurt to do it again,” said Kilde, just a week before the restart in Sölden, in reference to the overall World Cup.

Due to the spread of the coronavirus, the World Cup season was canceled last March before the races in Kranjska Gora and was finally classified as it was at that time. After just one win this season, but 22 top ten places, Kilde won the big crystal ball for the first time, 54 points ahead of the Frenchman Alexis Pinturault.

Wants to challenge Kilde for the big ball: Alexis Pinturault © AFP / FABRICE COFFRINI

Certainly, Pinturault would have had the chance to make up ground at the technical competitions in Kranjska Gora. That's why the discussions about Kilde being a particularly lucky winner never completely died down. But he never really bothered with it. “I am happy with what I have achieved. What others think is not so important in this case. I always had a good feeling about my performance,” said Kilde, who has his strengths in super-G and downhill, but also scored consistently in giant slalom last year. The usual suspects His focus has long been on the coming season, in which there will be fewer speed races than in the previous winter due to Corona. “There are a lot of competitors out there who want to take my status away again. You can't lie in bed and wait for success, you have to put your shoes back on and get going again." According to Kilde, Pinturault and his compatriot Henrik Kristoffersen will also be the most dangerous opponents this year. “We had a good fight, Henrik, Pinturault and me. I know they’re really, really great skiers.”

The World Championships are scheduled to take place in Cortina d'Ampezzo in February 2021, and the Beijing Olympic Games the following year. “Winning a medal here or there would be great. And winning more races is actually the biggest goal this year. Hopefully one of them will be at the World Cup,” said Kilde, outlining his sporting ideas for the near future. So far he has won two World Cup downhill runs and two Super-Gs. Strange feeling Next Sunday the giant slalom starts in Sölden – without a live audience. “It's hard to imagine crossing the finish line and the only sound you hear is coming from the speakers and your teammates clapping their hands,” said the Norwegian, who also retired privately with compatriot Lucas Braathen in Sölden lives in an apartment. “We have a cook. We're not allowed to go to the supermarket, we're actually not allowed to leave the building at all. Just playing a little football outside, but that’s really it.”

The most important thing at the moment is that he can still practice his job. However, you always have to keep the overall situation in mind. “We must be aware that the situation varies from country to country. And we travel to different countries. “We have to be really careful that the environment and conditions are safe when we organize the races,” Kilde said. “It will be difficult and everyone knows that. As soon as it overshoots the mark, we have to stop,” he demanded. “Because health always comes first.”

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Overall World Cup winner thanks to Corona? Kilde: “Just talk”

Occasionally you can hear voices saying that Aleksander Aamodt Kilde won the Ski World Cup last season thanks to the early Corona cancellation. The Norwegian has now defended himself against this.

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