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Another podium for Stephan Eberharter.
Q. Congratulation Stephan –
another podium in your collection?
S.E. “It was a great race today, and also a very difficult one. The snow was really very aggressive. We don’t get to ski on this kind of snow very often during the winter. You needed to race with much feeling. My skis were again excellent. I did well in the upper part, but didn’t nail the bottom as perfectly as I wanted. But at the end, I’m really pleased. I did really well season after my health problems at the start of the season.”
Q. How do you feel about the forty
points you lose by only 13/100 of
a second – they could be crucial
for the overall World Cup?”
S.E. “It’s for sure tough to lose so many points by a blink of an eye, but I don’t like to look back. What’s over is over – you can’t change anything now! As I said earlier, my goal this season was to clinch a third downhill World Cup title and to win once more the Hahnenkamm downhill. I achieved these two goals so I did my job. The overall World Cup was never in my mind so far. Now of course, I’ll do my best to defend my chances until the end, but I feel relaxed about it. I think it will be fun.”
“I’m really happy with my position in the overall, but there is nothing to discuss really about now because we will have the final word on Sunday only. But for sure, I’ll not race the slalom – it just would not make any sense.”
Q. Do you think the other favourites
were too nervous today?
S.E. “I don’t know how the other ones are reacting, and feeling, we rarely talk about this, there is no time. Personally, I don’t think about the big globe, so I have no reason to be nervous. You know, on such a course, it’s easy to lose time when the conditions are so extreme.”
Q. Daron said that it’s really
important to be professional and organized
as you to accumulate such an impressive
series of great results as you. What’s
your comment on this?
S.E. “I think that Daron is skiing very fast and he’s really strong. He should have chosen the right material today too. He did well this winter and he will certainly continue to improve. Regarding his comment, it’s true that you need to be very focused to succeed at the highest level. Ski racing is a big sport in Austria. There is great pressue from the fans on all of us and the competition between us is really tough. So, there is no time to fool around. I have not been out late for years after races. In Kitzbühel I could not party after my win because I had to race the slalom the next day!”
“I always do my best to stay as concentrated as possible and save as much energy as possible outside the slopes. This helps to be consistent during the entire season!”
Q. How will you race the next two
events? Going for it totally?
S.E. “I have not done so well in Super-G and giant slalom this winter but I know I have the ability to ski fast when necessary. About the GS on Saturday, we‘ll see what I need to do. If I have to ski well, to gain some points, I’ll give my best. But it hasn’t been such a great season for me in this discipline, I was really struggling.”
“We’ll train on the day off, and concentrate on the race. Maybe I’m too old for this…a lot of things changed those last two years, the technique, the equipment too.”
Q. What could influence you in your
decision to continue for another winter?
To win four downhill World Cup titles
in a row or to become Olympic champion
on this slope?
S.E. “None of these possibilities. I have reached a lot in the last three years, much more than I expected. The only reasons which could push me to go on is the enjoyment of ski racing, the thrill and the pleasure to go fast.”
“The question will be simple: how will I feel next spring, how healthy will I be, how much will I miss the sport. The feeling to stop or continue will come by itself. But for the moment, I don’t have any idea about next year because it depends on what I want to do. I’ve always skied with my heart and I want to continue that way. Everything will be decided like last year during the summer. I’ll think about it, but I can tell you already that it’s 50/50.”
“Next spring, I’ll be sailing again with my friends but not in Croatia though – we plan to sail in the Mediterranean Sea, near the Baleares. It’s a great way to relax!”
Q. Any comment on Bode Miller’s
season? Do you think he is right to
compete in all events this winter?
S.E. “It’s quite funny the way Bode Miller handled his season. It wasn’t so easy for him this year. He didn’t do so well in the speed event this time. But still we can be surprised on the overall. It’s getting more and more difficult to ski in all events. There are more and more specialists in each event, but he has a great potential.”
P.L
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