No other speed racer has left his mark on the World Cup races on the Saslong in recent years like Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. The 32-year-old Norwegian will not be in the starting gate this year for the first time since his debut eleven years ago. Kilde has to miss the race due to injury.

The images of Aleksander Aamodt Kilde's serious fall in January 2024 on the Lauberhorn downhill in Wengen are still fresh in the minds of ski fans. A fall that made headlines mainly because of a deep cut in his lower leg and sparked discussions about the mandatory use of cut-resistant ski underwear. However, it is not the flesh wound, which has since healed, that is causing Kilde to miss the entire 2024/25 season. It is a complicated shoulder injury that the Scandinavian sustained when he crashed into the safety nets at over 100 km/h and has been causing complications ever since.

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde will therefore not be sneaking over camel humps and Ciaslat meadows in his inimitable style this year. This means that one of the main attractions will be missing from South Tyrol's only World Cup race in the speed disciplines. Because Kilde and the Saslong - they have simply been a perfect match so far. Since his debut on 20 December, 2013, which the Norwegian finished in 19th place in the super-G, Kilde has climbed onto the podium a whopping nine times in 22 races. That's a rate of not quite 41 percent. The two-time Olympic medal winner won five races, three of which were downhill races, which means he is still one victory short of the record held by Franz Klammer and Kristian Ghedina (four wins each). Kilde also finished second three times and third once. Kilde achieved five of his 21 World Cup triumphs at the foot of the Sassolungo (23.81 percent). The fiancé of Mikaela Shiffrin celebrated nine of his 48 World Cup podiums in the Ruacia finish area (18.75 percent). Impressive figures that underline just how good of a match Aleksander Aamodt Kilde and the Saslong are.

Especially in recent years, Kilde's dominance in Val Gardena/Gröden has been overwhelming. Since 2020, the "Moose" has always finished on the podium at least once. Four years ago, he celebrated the double of super-G and downhill, which only his compatriot and role model Aksel Lund Svindal had previously achieved in the same year. Last year, he finished second in both Val Gardena/Gröden downhill races - one of which was a sprint downhill as a catch-up race for the Matterhorn Cervino Speed Opening.

This makes it all the more disappointing that the crowd favorite will not be in the starting gate this year. "Well guys, let's keep it short: it's been a wild journey so far and we're not quite done yet: another operation, another rehab and no races this winter. But believe me - I'll be back," Aleksander Aamodt Kilde announced on his social networks in October shortly before the ski opening in Sölden. A promise that the Norwegian is likely to keep next year. In order to chase records and firsts on "his" Saslong.