Kriechmayr gave the ORF an interview in front of the Hochrum private clinic, where many local sports greats have recently stayed – including David Alaba and Marco Schwarz – in which his relief was evident. “Of course I’m still a little sore, I have to take a bit of a break, but I’ll make sure I get back as quickly as possible and I’m confident that I’ll be back soon and be at the World Cup.”
Of all places, in Wengen, where Kriechmayr has already won the downhill classic on the Lauberhorn twice, the 2021 double world champion sustained this injury. The day before, in Franjo von Allmen’s debut victory in the Super-G, Kriechmayr was pushed back in the penultimate corner and flew into the net.
“Very positive diagnosis” for Kriechmayr
After the serious fall on the Wengen downhill run, Vincent Kriechmayr gave the first all-clear. The 33-year-old suffered a severe strain to his right inner ligament. Kriechmayr now wants to “be back as soon as possible”. A World Cup start is also “quite conceivable”.
“Now I have to go to the dentist”
Kriechmayr was on his feet soon after the fall and slid the short distance to the finish on one ski, but he had to be supported on the way out of the finish area. Shortly afterwards, the knee problems didn’t sound promising, and during the day we went to Austria for further examinations.
GEPA/Alexander Solc
Until the evening, Austria’s skiing nation feared for its only current podium finisher in the men’s category – before the all-clear was given. While the races in Kitzbühel next week will come too early, the dream of the home World Championships in February is alive. The injuries in the facial area, part of the incisor has broken off, only cost the hardened Mühlviertler a tired smile. “Now I have to go to the dentist, but that’s a small thing.”
-First question after the fall: “How fast was I?”
Head coach Marko Pfeifer, who was one of the first to speak to him after Kriechmayr’s fall, was well positioned on the track and saw his athlete’s fall live. “The first thing Vinc asked was, ‘How fast was I?’ “It’s unbelievable how the athletes tick,” Pfeifer reported of his short exchange with Kriechmayr. “I thought to myself, that’s not possible because he got something on his face and his front tooth too.”
Doctor gives Kriechmayr the all-clear
After Vincent Kriechmayr’s serious fall on the Lauberhorn descent in Wengen, the ÖSV speed ace himself has now been given the first all-clear by the treating doctor, Christian Hoser. According to Hoser, taking part in the World Cup in Saalbach will be a “close race”.
When asked about it that evening in Tyrol, Kriechmayr smiled: “You have ambition, you’re a little crazy. It really bothered me, also because I hadn’t been traveling fast until then. I immediately thought about how I could do this better. It was a messed up day, but now I’m obviously looking forward. But I’m just happy now that the injury isn’t serious.”
Kriechmayr: “That was purely a driving error”
The Frenchman Blaise Giezendanner got off less lightly after his fall; a torn cruciate ligament ended his season prematurely. The safety debate received new fuel, but not from Kriechmayr, who was self-critical: “There is no need to start a debate because of me, that was purely a driving error. It’s my own fault.”
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