Innerhofer is leaving the World Cup: “It’s just sad”

On Friday afternoon it was clear: Christof Innerhofer will not complete the downhill run, despite achieving two top times in training. The coaches preferred Matteo Marsaglia as the fourth starter alongside Dominik Paris, Florian Schieder and Mattia Casse. The veteran then decided not to take part in the last training session and packed his bags early.

Before his departure, Innerhofer took with him SportNews spoke and expressed his disappointment. “It’s just sad that it’s not the fastest time that decides, but rather a coach’s opinion,” said Innerhofer. The topic has stirred up a lot of dust in Courchevel in the last few hours - far beyond the Italian paddock. “Qualification would have been fair.” Christoph Innerhofer The Azzurri's speed trainers, under the leadership of technical director Max Carca, had already decided on Marsaglia as the downhill starter in the run-up to the World Cup, even though he suffers from ongoing back problems. “But that’s not the issue, it’s not about Marsaglia for me either. What annoys me is that two athletes had the same season results on paper. A qualification in training would have been fair. Why do other nations do it this way and we don’t?” Innerhofer asks himself.

Christof Innerhofer in the Courchevel Super-G: Is it his last World Championship race ever? © APA/afp / FABRICE COFFRINI

Gaiser was competing in the Super-G for the 21st time at a World Cup race; no other athlete in France has anywhere near as many races under his belt. In addition to a world championship title, he won two more World Cup medals and two Olympic medals in his career. But the 38-year-old can't buy anything from it. Marsaglia, who is a bit younger and has never been on the podium in the downhill race in his entire career, will be at the start in the last speed competition in Courchevel.

Anyway: with the third best time in the final training On Saturday, the Roman native underlined his ambitions. Now the race will take place on Sunday (from 11 a.m SportNews -Ticker) show whether he can step up and justify the coaching decision criticized by Innerhofer. Meanwhile, the Pusterer has to focus on the World Cup races in Aspen (USA) at the beginning of March.

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Innerhofer is leaving the World Cup: “It’s just sad”

Actually, Christof Innerhofer should have started the final downhill training today with start number 23. But even before the first athlete left the starting house, the South Tyrolean had already packed his things and left the World Cup venue in France.

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