At 23, Franjo von Allmen has already been on a World Cup podium five times.
Witters/freshfocus
Twenty-three World Cup starts, five podiums including one victory. Franjo von Allmen’s ratio among the elite of alpine skiing is impressive. The 23-year-old Bernese, who suffered a big scare on Wednesday during the second training session ahead of the Kitzbühel descent, is coming off a magical weekend at the Lauberhorn.
In Wengen, the specialist in speed disciplines won in super-G, before taking the second step of the podium during the descent. Do these thunderous beginnings make the trained carpenter a potential future crack star?
“He has the physique, he has the technique, above all he has the head,” lists Hughes Ansermoz, quite amazed. Mentally he is incredibly strong. But it is often at the limit. He will then have to manage to stay healthy and gain experience in order to know how far he can push without exceeding his limits. Because, even without surpassing them, it is already very competitive.”
“Big contract” with Red Bull
His natural talent has already allowed him to climb on the box at the foot of legendary slopes like those of the Lauberhorn – therefore – or the Stelvio, in Bormio. Its explosive trajectory bluffs our interlocutor.
“What he had already shown last year was incredible,” underlines the Diablerets technician. He was really young and afraid of nothing. In any case, he did not hesitate to take risks. This season, he missed the Beaver Creek races (editor’s note: 28th in downhill, 33rd in super-G). We then wondered if he would have difficulty withstanding the pressure during this year of confirmation. But, suddenly, he managed to turn the situation around. It’s really impressive.”
Franjo Von Allmen, 35th in the second training session for the Kitzbühel descent, got a good scare on Wednesday on the Streif.
-Stefan Adelsberger/expa/freshfoc
Expectations were all the greater as the Simmental skier had signed a “big contract” with Red Bull during the off-season. And that his equipment supplier, Head in this case, provided him with “his own serviceman”.
“His latest results prove that he deserves this status and this confidence,” applauds the former coach of the Swiss and Canadians. Red Bull has rarely associated itself with young people. The managers must therefore have been very impressed by Franjo to immediately bet on him. Because, generally, in Switzerland at least, they prefer to have stars or proven athletes.”
Not a profile to play the general
Like Marco Odermatt, by chance. Is Franjo von Allmen skiing in the footsteps of his leader, who is nevertheless a rare generational phenomenon, or is he predestined to follow a more conventional career?
“I don’t expect him to fight to win the overall World Cup rankings,” says Hughes Ansermoz. He is someone who arrives with a typical profile for speed disciplines. I can’t imagine him going off on the giant, for example. I don’t see him as multidisciplinary like Odermatt, who came from technology. Taking the step in the other direction is more complicated.”
The challenges, just in downhill or super-G, remain numerous for the skier from Boltigen. Starting with this weekend in Kitzbühel, in the Mecca of speed disciplines.
