Innerhofer: “I know that almost no one believes in me anymore”

S+ spoke extensively with the five-time medalist at the Olympics and World Championships before the start of the season in Zermatt/Cervinia.

You start your 18th (!) World Cup season this weekend. Do you still have something like excitement?

Innerhofer: “It’s difficult. It feels like it's as difficult for me as it was in my World Cup debut in 2006. I didn't know where I stood then either. Now it's similar. But I hope it's not my last. Once again I'm starting from scratch, I'm actually only in the top 1 in the first downhill run on Saturday in Zermatt. If I don't deliver there, I might fall out of the top 30 and then have to start from the very back. But I try not to let that influence me.”

You'll be 39 in December, but you haven't lost your passion for skiing, have you?

“I am still very motivated and have trained more than ever before. I was only on vacation for 4 days, otherwise there was just training, training. I look forward to it every day, whether in the gym or on the bike. I turn 17 on December 39th, but I feel like I did 15 years ago.”

“I was only on vacation for four days, otherwise there was just training, training.” Christoph Innerhofer

In the last 2 years you have only finished in the top 3 three times. “Why does he continue to struggle?” is often said. Your Answer?

“The last two years have been very difficult, that's true. I'm also aware that almost no one believes in me anymore. I can count them on one hand. The important thing is that I believe in myself. But: I am grateful for every moment that I have been able to experience as an athlete so far. Life is not a one-way street, nothing happens by itself. For me it's not a problem if I don't get better than 2nd or 22th. I don't have to finish as world champion. I want to continue living my dream: skiing, racing, doing sports at the top level every day.”

But at the end of the day you are measured by results, and that's what was missing...

“I can drive much better than I showed last time. Last year I was always very fast in training and, apart from Aspen, was always in the top 7 at least once. The material and my setup have been struggling lately. I messed up a lot because of that.”

Christof Innerhofer had problems with the setup last year.

You are considered a meticulous inventor. Too much?

“I haven't tried anything this year, I'm riding with the material I have. I don't want to tinker anymore. I became Italian downhill champion in La Thuile in March with a lead of 0,7 seconds. I set my best training time during World Championship training in Courchevel – I trust this material. I brought three pairs of ski boots with me here in Zermatt, and I had 3 pairs with me at the 2019 World Cup in Åre.”

Surprised that you are still in the national team after the disappointing results of the last two years?

"No not at all. With my 5 medals at major events, I am the most successful athlete in the “Azzurri”. After last year's turbulent season, I had a clarifying conversation with racing director Max Carca in the spring. That's a thing of the past and I'm looking forward. I no longer want to think about the negative events and lose energy because of them. What matters is the future.”

“It was absolutely the wrong decision to rely on Matteo Marsaglia for the World Cup downhill.” Christoph Innerhofer

Nevertheless, let's take another look back: You had to watch the 2023 World Cup downhill despite strong training...

“It was absolutely the wrong decision to rely on Matteo Marsaglia. He has had 6 top 10 results in the last 10 years, I had 39 in just the World Cup. I will always be of this opinion. This race was taken away from me, but it’s no use thinking about it anymore.”

The Speed World Cup begins at the weekend with 2 downhill runs in Zermatt and Cervina. The expectations are...

“...not particularly big ones. As a team, we trained worse than ever before. Because of the miserable weather and the often poor piste conditions, we had the downhill skis on for the last time 7 weeks ago - mid-September. That's why I focused on fitness training. I also had a corneal injury to my eye in August and then I tore the quadriceps tendon in my knee. Then I also fell on my bike, so I wasn't able to train fully during the summer training in Chile. Normally I have 45 to 50 days of skiing before the first races, but this year I don’t even have 20.”

Then we shouldn't expect too much from you at the start?

“I'm in great shape, but no predictions can be made. I'll definitely need a few more rides to get to the limit. A lot of fresh snow is expected here in Zermatt in the next few days, along with strong winds. Which is no wonder in November on a glacier at more than 3700 meters. But there are still races coming to Zermatt. I doubt that we “Azzurri” will be competitive as a team. We simply didn’t have as good training opportunities as other national teams last summer and fall.”

Questions: Andreas Vieider

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Innerhofer: “I know that almost no one believes in me anymore”

He will be 39 years old in December and, along with Frenchman Adrien Theaux (turned 18 on September 39), is the senior in the Ski World Cup circus. But Christof Innerhofer hasn't had enough yet - even if the meager sporting results of the last two years suggest otherwise.

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