Is there a risk of further injuries?: Race director complains ahead of Lauberhorn Classic: 'The ski is in poor condition'

Three major athletes, Franjo von Almine, Mathieu Bellet and Alexis Pinturault, fell at the Lauberhorn circuit on Thursday. The ski brand's race director complains about the ski conditions after Super-G.

Alexis Pinturault falls hard after Silberhorn's jump in the Super-G in Wengen on Friday. The Frenchman had to be taken to hospital in a rescue helicopter, where he received the devastating diagnosis early in the evening: a ruptured cruciate ligament. For the 32-year-old, the season ended prematurely.

Brand associate Franjo von Allmen has better luck. The young Swiss hope falls with the 46th start in the “Langtrien” division, but he does not suffer from any serious injuries and is able to rise again on his own.

“The slope is in bad condition”

After the race, race boss Rainer Salzgeber complained loudly “Scenery» About the conditions on the mountain. “The slope is simply in poor condition,” complains the Austrian. Many athletes were also upset by the off-piste conditions during the week. Is there a risk of more injuries during the traditional descent on Saturday?

“Since I started racing here, the Brüggli-S has never been in such bad shape as it was this year,” declared speed specialist Dominique Paris before the brief descent on Thursday and also warned of other sections: “The slide is also in full swing.” Broken elsewhere.”

Odermatt was also anxious after training. The track did not develop positively during the week. “That definitely didn't happen,” explains the Swiss ski star. “On Tuesday I was one of the few racers who didn't think the track condition was that bad. In the second training session, the conditions in Broglie were worse than the previous day.”

The Lauberhorn drains energy reserves

The enormous pressure on drivers during the three days of racing is an additional concern. “I don't think it's a good thing to include races in the program at absolute World Cup classics like Wengen or Kitzbühel that had to be canceled elsewhere,” Odermatt said at the beginning of the week. “On the one hand, the additional race reduces the value of the original slope, and on top of that, there is the energy factor, especially here in Wengen.”

The Lauberhorn downhill trail is the longest in the world. It therefore depletes drivers' energy reserves and thus increases the risk of injury. Prospects are not good for Saturday. In an interview with Blue News, Mauro Caviezel gave the all clear.

Working on the Silberhorn jump

One of Friday's main points, Silberhornsprung, has already been somewhat defused. “They are still very close to finishing the jump,” Caviezel revealed after his flight, in which he himself almost failed the Silberhorn jump. Shortly thereafter, television images confirm work on the corridor.

Fuse also expects an improvement in SRF. At least for the Langtern Pass, where von Almine fell. “The slope here has improved significantly from yesterday to today. It has become much tighter,” the three-time Lauberhorn winner explained during the race. “They prepared it with water the day before yesterday and it worked for two nights.” At least until the end of Super-G, these are the “better terms.” Let's hope conditions improve another night.

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