Johannes Strolz in Kitzbuehel.
©APA
After four retirements, Johannes Strolz wrote for the first time this winter in Wengen in twelfth place. The plan to find the middle ground between risk and stability at the World Cup in Kitzbühel did not work out. The Olympic champion in the combined and silver medalist in the slalom threaded in the first round on the Ganslern. “It hurts brutally. The racing driver’s heart bleeds,” said the 30-year-old. After Schladming he hopes for a distraction on speed skis.
Kitzbuehel. Patience was “a big challenge” while driving, and he was just a tad too impatient, said the disappointed Strolz in the finish area on Sunday. “Benjamin Raich said to me, forget that nonsense, look ahead, drive without thinking. He’s right, despite the fact that the pressure is increasing and I haven’t got many points yet.”
“Just a bit away from the slalom swing”
A few Super-G corners with the speed team in Saalbach-Hinterglemm should help him get a different focus. “Just a bit away from the slalom swing. I hope I can turn things around.” The skiing is fine, the material is great. “If I drive what I can and what would be possible, I don’t worry.” After intensive training days, he will focus on regeneration on Monday before the night slalom on the Planai on Tuesday evening.
The speed training in Salzburg and possible Super-G assignments at the World Cup in Cortina d’Ampezzo will of course be completed because of the combination at the World Championships. Men’s racing director Marko Pfeifer also sees Strolz regularly in the Super-G in the future. “That’s an option, I can imagine that we’ll take him to Chile for speed training in the summer. I would think it would be very good if he didn’t just do one discipline. That’s a lot of pressure if you’re bad in that season starts.”
An absolutely difficult start
Strolz did not hide the fact that it was an “absolutely difficult start”. The stability is present in the training. But he only gets the lightness of the past year after the victory in Adelboden through the competition. “I have to trust myself that I don’t have to score every goal on the very last groove and still be reasonably stable. I often have the problem that I want to get the most out of every swing. I then get into dicey situations.”
He sees the planned speed training positively not only because of the variety. Strolz recalled that in the past he was often able to perform on the speed side with relatively little training. “In the combination, I dare to say, I’m one of Austria’s hopes for a medal at the World Cup. That worked well in Beijing.”
