With bib number 1, Beat Feuz produced a performance that set the tone for one of the most eagerly anticipated World Cup downhills of the season. For a Swiss racer to open the proceedings in a Swiss race, this was something that Feuz acknowledged as special. Add the perfect conditions and Feuz was in his element. Early numbers were the key for the race and Aksel Lund Svindal took second with Matthias Mayer locking out the podium for Head with third. Hannes Reichelt took fourth with Germany’s Thomas Dressen taking fifth.
The Lauberhorn is a special event. Every racer wants to make their mark on the race and with 35,000 fans lining the course, the perfect weather made for a great spectacle for the even wider audience. The buzz down the course as Feuz got things going started as a ripple but then grew as people realised he was putting in a special run. When Svindal, going two racers later failed to better his time, the roar was heard all the way down the course.
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WENGEN, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 13: Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway takes 2nd place, Beat Feuz of Switzerland takes 1st place, Matthias Mayer of Austria takes 3rd place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men's Downhill on January 13, 2018 in Wengen, Switzerland. (Photo by Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom)[/caption]
Svindal was happy with his run and despite running his helmet along the netting at the Bruckli S, he felt that this was a second place won rather than a first place lost. Svindal won the last Lauberhorn race two years ago, breaking his duck on the big two races.
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WENGEN, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 13: Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway competes during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men's Downhill on January 13, 2018 in Wengen, Switzerland. (Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom)[/caption]
With two of the biggest stars sitting comfortably in the lead after just three racers had been down, Matthias Mayer going eight completed the podium for Head. With some of the big names still to go, Feuz admitted that he could not relax until Vincent Kriechmayr had come down. Kriechmayr had put in an awesome downhill run in the Alpine Combined the day before and this made Feuz wary.
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WENGEN, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 13: Beat Feuz of Switzerland takes 1st place during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Men's Downhill on January 13, 2018 in Wengen, Switzerland. (Photo by Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom)[/caption]
While Svindal had been on the positive side in terms of the gap, this time he was on the other side and yet he felt happy with the way things had gone. For the Swiss crowd, this was the perfect way for the Lauberhorn to be decided. With Feuz and Svindal both having won two races in the five race series, Svindal holds the advantage in the race for the globe courtesy of having been on the podium at every race. Only Dominik Paris has also been on the top step of the podium this season. With Peter Fill 298 points behind Svindal, he will have to go some if he is going to make it three Globes in succession.
Full results