With hanging heads: Azzurri leave red-white-red party

Joy and sorrow are so close together at this Ski World Championship: Just at the moment when sensational world champion Raphael Haaser was called out to the crowds by the stadium announcer in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Alex Vinatzer and Co. left the finish area completely dejected.

14. February 2025

From Saalbach-Hinterglemm

From:
Alexander Foppa

19.500 spectators, the journalists in the media center were told, had witnessed the World Cup giant slalom on site. There are of course no official figures on the decibel level. But the noise that these 19.500 spectators created at 14.15:XNUMX p.m. was deafening. It was the moment when Timon Haugan brought his botched run to the finish and Raphael Haaser helped to the completely unexpected goldThe North Tyrolean had never before finished in the top 5 in the giant slalom.

While the fans at the edge of the slope and in the finish stadium were going crazy, hugging each other and waving their red-white-red flags wildly, the new world champion seemed completely stunned. He stood in the snow, wordless and motionless. Later, "Iceman" Haaser said: "I don't know what to say. I've never won a World Cup race before and now this. Unbelievable!" The Austrian press was fighting over the 27-year-old from Maurach, but there was not much more to be coaxed out of him at that moment.

Raphael Haaser waved the Austrian flag in the finish area. © ANSA / JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT

The giant slalom skiers from Italy were similarly tight-lipped immediately after the race - albeit for a completely different reason: They were struggling with themselves and their performances on the Zwölferkogel. "It just wasn't meant to be today," said Luca De Aliprandini. The Nonsberger was within reach of the podium at halftime, but then fell back to ninth place. "At least I made it into the top ten. I can't blame myself, even if it wasn't enough for a medal."

"I just wasn't good enough" Alex Vinatzer

Alex Vinatzer was much harsher on himself. He spoke of "a huge disappointment" and that he "just wasn't good enough today." The World Championships had started brilliantly for the 25-year-old from Val Gardena with gold in the team event. But after being knocked out of the team combination, the next setback followed. "It annoys me that I couldn't cope with this course and this snow again. I tried to change the setup before the second run, but it didn't help."

There is still a chance

As bitter as this moment may feel for Vinatzer, he has - unlike De Aliprandini - the chance to end the rollercoaster of emotions with a new sense of achievement on Sunday in his favorite discipline, the slalom. The Azzurri want to take part in the celebrations in Saalbach-Hinterglemm by then at the latest.