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Marcel Hirscher, one of alpine skiing’s most decorated athletes, has confirmed his return to competitive racing in what is shaping up to be a highly anticipated Olympic winter season.Here is everything you need to know:
- The Austrian-Dutch skiing great - an eight-time consecutive overall World Cup champion who retired in 2019, and now competes for the Netherlands after previously representing Austria - has received medical clearance following a long and intensiverecovery from a serious knee injury sustained earlier this year. With rehabilitation behind him and the full backing of his medical team, Hirscher has announced he is ready to rejoin the World Cup circuit.
- "Now call it a comeback," the 35-year-old declared, referencing American rapper LL Cool J’s iconic lyric with a hint of irony, acknowledging both the gravity of his injury and the significance of returning to the top level of sport after more than half a decade away.
- Six and a half months ago, Hirscher suffered a cruciate ligament tear that required surgery and over 1,000 hours of rehab and physical training. The journey, he says, was both physically demanding and emotionally clarifying. “In the end, two questions remained: What do I want from life? What does life want from me?” Hirscher reflected. “Even in difficult moments, my answer never changed: I want to race again.”
- In a significant boost to his comeback bid, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) has granted Hirscher 17 remaining wildcards originally allocated last season when he first announced plans to return. Although injury curtailed that attempt, FIS has chosen to uphold the unused wildcards for this season, effectively allowing him to start in any World Cup race without needing to qualify through current FIS points.
- These wildcard entries are typically reserved for exceptional cases, such as athletes returning from retirement or injury, whose prior records merit direct access to competition. For Hirscher, whose résumé includes 67 World Cup wins and two Olympic gold medals, the gesture acknowledges not only his past achievements but his ongoing relevance to the sport.
- Now at the helm of VAN DEER–Red Bull Sports, a company he co-founded to develop elite ski equipment, Hirscher’s return also marks a new chapter inhis dual role as both competitor and brand leader. “We’re heading into our first Olympic winter at VAN DEER, and we’re all working toward a shared goal: making our skis and boots better for racing, so that both our athletes and customers benefit. That’s why it’s clear to me where I can contribute most - right at the heart of the racing scene, as part of the athlete team.”
- While no firm date has been set for his first race, Hirscher plans to return to snow training in September, pending final medical approval. “At the moment, I’m shifting from the rehabilitation phase into full athlete mode, with more extensive sessions and higher intensity,” Hirscher says. “Training hard again is bringing me a lot of joy. It’s shaping up to be a very athletic summer."
- “Balancing family, business, holidays, and friends is a challenge,” he added, “but everything is well coordinated. I’m incredibly grateful for the support I’m receiving - both personally and professionally - for my ‘Back to Racing’ mission.”
- Whether Marcel Hirscher returns to his former dominance or simply competes on his own terms, his comeback is already one of the most compelling stories of the winter season. For fans and rivals alike, his presence on the start line brings renewed anticipation, and a reminder of what greatness looks like.
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