Marcel Hirscher after his comeback. © ANSA / JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT

Marcel Hirscher: “It’s really weird”

Now it has happened: Marcel Hirscher made his comeback in the Ski World Cup on Sunday after 2.051 days. After the first run, the former dominator seemed relieved.

27 October 2024

From Sölden

“It’s pretty weird after five years of retirement,” said the 35-year-old former star, who now scores points for the Netherlands, to ORF"It was pretty good until the middle of the steep slope, then I thought: now the devil is coming to get me, now I'm leaving the line later and later. Stay safe." It was "super cool," said Hirscher.

"A little over two seconds behind, that was the case in training too. When I think about the fact that I can do this for the whole season, it's really cool." Hirscher outshone everyone else on Sunday morning in Sölden and beamed as brightly as the sun on the Rettenbachferner glacier. He seemed relaxed in the finish area after the first run, although he didn't even know if he would qualify.

Marcel Hirscher during the inspection with his father Ferdinand. © APA / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER

In the end, the Austrian managed qualified for the final in 28th place. When Hirscher was on the track, the noise level in the finish area in Sölden was at its highest. Thousands of spectators (17.200 in total) pulled out their smartphones to capture the moment of the comeback. Everyone wanted to be there to celebrate this moment. In the final, Hirscher raced up to 23rd place and seemed more than satisfied with the overall situation.