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Herman
Maier
Q. How did you feel during
the Super-G World Cup award ceremony?
H.M. “For sure, it was a
great feeling while I was standing
on the podium during that prize giving
ceremony. I tried to remember the
last time I was in a same kind of
situation, with a globe in the hands
– it was in March 2001 in Are!
It’s funny, because I tried to
feel the same, but there is really
something special around this one.
It was hard work. Everything went
through my mind. All this training
that we have to do, just for a couple
of races. It goes so quickly that
to win is really fantastic!”
Q. What’s your comment
on your race?
H.M. “No doubts that it has been
my best race since my comeback, I
could almost say that it was almost
a perfect run. It’s crazy in
a way; because yesterday wasn’t
a very good day for me. I chose the
wrong pair of skis, and there was
no possibility that I could ski fast.
I was lucky to make it to the finish
line. It’s not always so easy,
when you have problems, to be ready
the day after. I needed to find my
serenity and my confidence. Fortunately
I have a strong mind. Ski racing is
a mental sport, you win most of the
races with your head. It remembered
what I did after my crash in the downhill
in Nagano. I just put it away and
went back with greater determination
in the Super-G and the giant slalom.”
Q. It seems that you fought
with the same momentum as in your
best years?
H.M. “Today, I was really able
to do exactly what I wanted; I felt
that my skis were really accelerating
in the turns. I could attack hard,
which has not been the case recently
in Norway. I did the maximum today
for the overall standings. Now I need
to have a good GS on Saturday, something
similar to what I achieved in the
last races. I could have made me this
battle easier in scoring some points
in yesterday’s downhill. The
Cup would already be in my bag by
now. You must be happy; I made it
much more exciting for you, in the
same way as I made it harder for me!”
Q. Who is your main rival
now?
H.M. “Myself! I don’t think
that I’m really afraid of someone
else than myself for the Overall.
If you really look at all the favourites,
we all have the same chances. Bode
and Benjamin didn’t play their
last card, they still have the events
in which they excel, which is not
the case for Stephan. I didn’t
decide yet whether I will take enter
the slalom. This decision will be
taken on Saturday. Maybe I have better
things to do on Sunday than just skiing.”
Q. When do you really start to
believe in your chances to clinch
a fourth overall title?
H.M. “Actually, I don’t
really remember when I started to
imagine that all this could be possible,
maybe in North America where I scored
a lot of points in the speed events.
I had quite a good feeling in the
first races, but then coming back
to Europe, with the bad weather and
all these cancellation, I lost my
racing rhythm. It was tough to get
it back. I slowly recovered it in
Kitzbühel and in Garmisch. I
was totally back in Adelboden and
St Anton. I was charging in all those
races.”
“Things were difficult at the
beginning, it wasn’t easy, like
the right start number in GS. Before
thinking about the Overall title,
there were a couple of other important
things which I had to take care about.
The World Cup wasn’t my priority
so much.”
“
But I should admit that not being
favorite helped me too, I was really
quiet, no stress after a bad performance.”
Q. What has changed the most in
you since your accident?
H.M. “Well, I don’t feel
so tense anymore. I have more fun
skiing down the hill; I enjoy more
what I’m doing. I’m so happy
to be able to race again. It’s
wonderful to perform at such a high
level so soon after my accident. I’m
still not as consistent as I used
to be, but this is OK, at least it
keeps me busy for the coming months.
I’m certainly more relaxed.”
“Prior to my crash, I felt sort
of obliged to win, there was great
pressure on me and it was not so easy
to handle. I was very upset when I
lost. Now I’m not too happy but
I react better.”
Q. Are you looking forward for
the 2006 Olympics?
H.M. “For sure, when I see my
result on this hill in Super-G, I
know that I
have a good chance to do well here
in two years. As you know, I only
took part in one Olympic six years
ago and this is not much in an entire
career. Basically, I have lost two
years with this accident. Now I can
see that the next Olympics are not
so far away anymore. This could definitely
become a great goal to me. Olympic
Games are very special events and
I like to compete in Italy!”
Q. Any plan for next spring as
some free skiing?
H.M. “Yes, great powder skiing
in Canada in April with two friends.
I’m looking forward for this.
I can tell you that’s quite boring
to ski all the time on a racing course,
between two blue and two red gates.
I need the feeling of freedom and
the nature to rejuvenate me. Skiing
can be really wonderful!”
Manuèle Lang
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