How Bernese alpine skier Lars Rösti found sixth gear: “I now have more confidence in myself.”
Bernese Oberlander Lars Rösti was considered a Swiss downhill prospect, was on his way to becoming a failed talent and suddenly sees green.
Bernese Oberlander Lars Rösti could almost have sat in the leader’s chair during the descent into Val Gardena.
Jean-Christophe Bott / KEYSTONE
No, he has never been asked so often about an interim period in his life. Bernese Oberlander Lars Rösti won in front of everyone in the World Cup downhill in Val Gardena before Christmas and beat winner Marco Odermatt by 86 hundredths of a second in the penultimate time. Only an embarrassing mistake in the technical passage brought the 26-year-old’s podium dream to ruin.
At the finish, Lars Rösti from St. Stephan im Simmental was happy as a cockchafer with his 12th place, even without knowing what would have been possible. Until this season, the trained carpenter had only reached the top 30 five times in a World Cup downhill. Now he has placed in the Beaver Creek Downhill (18th), the Val Gardena Downhill (12th) and the Super-G von Val Gardena (8th) and achieved the best results of his career.
Balm for mental wounds of the past
Even his teammates who approached him in the finish area of the Saslong circuit with the same remark could not diminish his joy: “Did you see how incredibly green your split times were? » was the standard question.
Yes, the start of the season was good after years in which the Bernese Oberlander had bad times in the World Cup, often had to participate in internal eliminations and was never able to live up to the expectations he had. ‘was itself high. It was in 2019 that Lars Rösti was crowned junior downhill world champion. He was seen as a hope for the future, perhaps even a future World Cup winner. He hasn’t delivered yet. Why not?
The 100-kilogram athlete cites a mix of factors that have happened in recent years. Starting with your own expectations for performance development, to the problems of finding the right attitude as a racing type for difficult eliminations in training, to the dangerous consequences of a bad fall on the Lauberhorn with a concussion diagnosis, a lot of things come together. “Somehow it was always a bit difficult. Only now do I really feel a sense of relaxation.
The recurring scenario of starting the season in the World Cup then being transferred to the European Cup was also eating away at him. “After this fall in January 2023, my self-confidence was really plummeting. I knew I had to change something fundamental. I was often irritable due to the effects of the concussion. My family and my girlfriend really had to put up with me back then.
New skis and different mentalities
Lars Rösti knew that things could not continue like this. He started in two places: in terms of equipment, he moved from Rossignol to Stöckli. Not only has he shared the ski brand with Marco Odermatt since last season, but he also relies on the same manager as the high-flying Michael Schiendorfer. “It does not go without saying that an outfitter would give me a chance in the situation in which I found myself in the spring of 2023,” says the Bernese.
Lars Rösti also discussed the mindset regarding ski training. No longer looking for limits in the race helped him. This gives it a good feeling for the race. “I have more confidence in myself now. Since 2019, my self-confidence is better than ever,” says Rösti. He also feels physically stronger than ever.
Without one detail, Lars Rösti would hardly have succeeded in breaking out of this vicious circle of regular selection matches between the World Cup and the European Cup. With his second place in the European Cup downhill season standings, the 26-year-old secured a permanent place in this year’s World Cup. Almost at the last minute he joined this currently incredibly strong Swiss speed team.
And now comes Bormio. His record on the Stelvio so far seems dismal. He has never been ranked higher than 35th in yesterday’s practice. “Survive in Bormio somehow” and then shine in Wengen and Kitzbühel in January is his battle plan. His demands have become higher, even on the most difficult descent in the world: “My goal is to get into the points,” says Rösti. It would also be a kind of reward.
