"Was at the limit from top to bottom."
In the first two downhill races, Austria's Vincent Kriechmayr came out on top in a true hundredth thriller. We collected the voices of the main actors after the race.
Vincent Kriechmayr (AUT/1st Place)
"There's something about a shortened Gardena-Gröden downhill. I was at my limit from top to bottom and maximized all the jumps. The last races overseas have shown that you have to give 100 percent or more to keep up with Kilde or Odermatt - I managed to do that today. I watched Matthias' (Mayer) run and saw that he also went full out and didn't give anything away. I wanted to race just like him in the end. My service man also did an excellent job; he deserves special praise."
Marco Odermatt (SUI/2nd Place)
"I am amazed by the result and overjoyed because I didn't know what was possible for me ahead of the race. My team took a lot of risks with the material today, but that paid off in full in the end. So there will be a nice bonus for my service man (laughs). I also missed a victory in the downhill races in Lake Louise and Beaver Creek - but the missing hundredths hurt me much more there than here. That I was so fast in the Ciaslat comes as a surprise, as my feeling was far from perfect, and the jumps went a bit too far for my liking."
Matthias Mayer (AUT/3rd Place)
"In a shortened race, the margins are always very tight, so today, we had to risk all the more. The fact that we raced from the super-G start today suited me and Vincent (Kriechmayr) and Marco (Odermatt). I'm pleased with my performance, but at the same time, I'm also happy for Vincent - his victory is certainly good for our team."
Johan Clarey (FRA/4th Place)
"To be honest, I am slightly disappointed with my fourth place, as I barely missed a podium finish. But if you look at the top three, it's only strong riders who more than deserve their result. On the Saslong, you are more in the air than on the ground in certain places, so the track is special. Especially the Ciaslat is - always provided you catch it well - a dream to ride. Physically, I still feel excellent despite my advanced age. But it's a different story in my head: It often slows me down when I have to take full risks. This season will be my last as an active racer in the World Cup."
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (NOR/5th Place)
"My run was relatively good. However, I didn't quite manage to carry the momentum from the Ciaslat to the finish. In a shortened downhill, a few hundredths are crucial - but I can live well with my fifth place. In the next few days, the motto is once again 'full throttle,' even though an exhausting program lies ahead. I don't think about saving energy in the two minutes on the slope."
Florian Schieder (ITA/13th Place)
"The fact that I'm taking my best World Cup result here is incredible. But I already felt very comfortable in training and was fast today despite a mistake before the Ciaslat. In the Ciaslat, I found the rhythm right away - this part may have saved my run. After being out for a long time recently due to an injury, this result is a big relief. I have often been strong in the training sessions and knew I could keep up with the best, but unfortunately, I could never confirm that in the races. Therefore, it is even nicer if I can now convince when it gets serious. Then, I can approach the super-G and the downhill confidently and on full attack."