Slalom ski racing has the amazing ability to produce races occasionally that defy the form book or the expectations of the analysts. This was one of those races. Johannes Strolz from Austria started the race from bib 38 and ended the day as a World Cup race winner. Manuel Feller was delighted for his compatriot as he placed second and Linus Strasser, second last year, took third this year. The top five were rounded out by Ramon Zenhaeusern and Luca Aerni took the remaining two top five places.
The weather played a huge part in making this an exhilarating race for the 14,000 fans allowed in to watch the race as only 1.37 separated the top thirty after run one. Fabio Gstrein and Feller had lead the way after run one but the excitement on run two was of Oscar Awards proportions. This was a race that had you on the edge of your seat.
Sometimes you get races where it is the person that has the cleanest run that wins, other times you have the pure fastest racer that wins. This was maybe a race that was decided on the race with the greatest conviction that they could win.
Alex Vinatzer, a top seed racer that just squeezed into the top thirty (28th) after run one having made mistakes, made more mistakes on the second run but still battled his way down the second run yet made a home almost in the leaders enclosure!
Loic Meillard would unseat the Italian before Linus Strasser looked to recreate history and his second place last year. Strasser had edged Ryding out by 0.01 last year. When it came to Ryding on the second run, Lady Luck is being a cruel mistress to him at the moment as for the second race in a row he straddled a gate when going well.
Strolz was the person to unseat the German from the leaders seat. The whole of finish area took their turns to congratulate the Austrian as they recognised his hard work in making the leaders enclosure. How long would he stay there was anyones guess.
With no training facilities afforded to him by the Austrian team, Strolz, who trains with Marc Digruber, could not believe how the race turned out for him. With a podium place being the Austrian Olympic qualifying criteria, from 7th after the first run, he slowly edged his way up towards the podium positions.
Zenhaeusern could not better his time, Pinturault straddled, Kristoffersen dropped like a stone down the rankings and that left three for Strolz to worry over. He was the one in the seat of power, they had to battle the conditions and the infamous Chuenisbärgli slope.
This was crunch time for the race.
14,000 Swiss fans wanted Aerni to uphold their honour but he could not manage to deliver and this mean it was a definite Austrian win at the home of their biggest rivals, the Swiss.
Feller, Gstrein or Strolz who was in the finish. Who would win?
Feller was first down and he could not match the time or the finess of Strolz and that was another racer notched off. Gstrein or Strolz. It would be a new first time winner that is for sure.
Gstrein looked to be nervous as he drifted out of the start gate. Time seeped away all the way down the course but with the Zielhang section still to negotiate, the race was still in the balance.
Until....
He straddled at the top of the Zielhang.
From bib 38, off the Austrian team, this was what dreams are made off. The tears, the disbelief, the congratulations and the joy spilled over all. Racers from all countries, coaches, too many to describe lined up to enjoy the moment with Strolz.
For Gstrein, facing the chance of qualifying for the Olympics too, he was one of the first to congratulate his teammate. Strolz was magnanimous in consoling Gstrein but this was his moment.
For Ryding, this was cruel fate. A straddle is never a good feeling. In both racers that he has straddled recently, he has been flying. One you can shrug the shoulders at, two you start to question the line you are taking. He needs to still believe in himself.
Ryding and his team now move on to Crans Montana for an invitation race before three of the big classic races: Wengen, Kitzbühel and Schladming.
Major was just off the pace in Adelboden, finishing in 35th while Taylor crashed out near the bottom on run one. With great Europa Cup performances and the travel that getting these entailed, maybe things caught up with the two.
This was a race that had so many facets, so much excitement.
This was a race that ski racing needed.
Full results