Hirscher controversy: Will he start in Sölden after all?

Nevertheless, he has dominated the media coverage for weeks. Opinions differ slightly as to what level the 35-year-old is currently at and what he can achieve in terms of sport. However, his colleagues have more respect and admiration for the Salzburg native, who is once again electrifying the skiing world after a five-year absence.

For Lucas Braathen, who is making his comeback this year, the matter is clear: Hirscher's return is "a dream come true," said the Norwegian, who now competes for Brazil. "Together with Ted Ligety, he is the skier I have studied the most in my career. Marcel inspired me even before I got into the World Cup. But one thing was missing: I never really had the chance to compete with him."

The return of his long-time rival and friend is a "huge story," said Felix Neureuther. Hirscher is "exactly one of the characters and protagonists that we urgently need." Manuel Feller also sees the reunion with Hirscher as positive - for very personal reasons. The Tyrolean is a former teammate and buddy of the seven-time world champion. The two have "always been good friends," emphasized Feller. Even their children "go play together more often because our two wives know each other better."

What does the shape look like? However, there is speculation about the form of the eight-time overall World Cup winner. This was fuelled by Hirscher himself, as he gave almost no interviews and, when he did, he did not talk about times or goals. His physical condition is no longer comparable to that before his retirement five years ago, and the work on adjusting the equipment is far from complete, explained the still dogged inventor. To make matters worse, he was only able to complete a few days of training on snow due to illness. But the main focus of his project is to have fun anyway.

Marcel HIrscher last competed in the World Cup in 2019. © APA/afp / JURE MAKOVEC

"I don't know how good his form is yet. But I think it's great that he's racing again," said US star Mikaela Shiffrin. "He was the best skier in the world for eight years, so he's capable of anything - including winning. Of course, you can't expect him to come back the way he left off. But he doesn't have to prove anything to anyone anymore," said Feller about the new star of the Dutch ski team. “He was always a bit of a low-life” Felix Neureuther on Hirscher's alleged training times Hermann Maier, another Austrian skiing giant, recently caused a stir with his assessment. "I think he is capable of winning straight away. He will be one of the winning skiers from the very first races," predicted the winner of 54 World Cup races in an interview with Kurier. Hirscher has 67 victories to date - according to Maier, there could be more to come. "He didn't suddenly start skiing again, he was always involved. He developed further as a skier, spent a lot of time off-piste and was compared to Henrik Kristoffersen, Alexis Pinturault and a few others."

All intentional? Last week, Hirscher also trained with the Austrians in Sölden and got a direct comparison. "I doubt whether he gave it his all," said ÖSV Alpine boss Herbert Mandl, watching from the sidelines. But even before his supposed retirement, Hirscher was often not among the fastest when he trained with the team. "He was always a bit of a low-flyer," said Neureuther. "But he always did well with that, and it may also take some of the pressure off him."

Only Hirscher will decide whether he is ready to return in Sölden. He will only start if he really feels comfortable and competitive. After two good days of training in Hintertux, his entourage said on Tuesday that he would probably make his decision on Friday morning. A statement from the Dutch Ski Association that his start had been definitely decided was denied by Team Hirscher. The report was due to a misunderstanding. The first giant slalom and also the first competition of the season is scheduled for Sunday. The Salzburg native competed in his last race to date in 2019. On March 17, he finished 14th in the slalom at the World Cup final in Soldeu.

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Hirscher controversy: Will he start in Sölden after all?

It is not even clear yet whether Marcel Hirscher will celebrate his comeback in the Ski World Cup next weekend in Sölden.

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