The Swiss must therefore forfeit Saturday's race, a new descent.

Surprises marked the end of the race with in particular the second place of the Italian Florian Schieder (at 23/100), for the first podium of his career, ahead of the Swiss Niels Hintermann (at 31/100).

Best Frenchman, Cyprien Sarrazin took 10th place (74/100) for his first attempt on the Streif.

From Vorarlberg to Burgenland, from west to east, young Austrians do not dream of a World Cup final or an Olympic podium but of a descent to Kitzbühel, the biggest event of the year in this alpine country of almost 9 million 'inhabitants.

Three years after Matthias Mayer, who retired in December, Vincent Kriechmayr put his name on the list of the most beautiful Hahnenkamm race (the "Crest de coq", the name of the massif), he who had already won here in super -G in 2021.

"It's the most important race of the season. For an Austrian descender, it's unique. I did everything to win, a run to the limit, with more than 100% commitment", launched the winner .

This son of cattle breeders from Mühlviertel (Upper Austria, near Linz) thus goes down in history, after having already won two world championship titles (downhill and super-G in 2021) which he will challenge in a just over two weeks in Courchevel/Méribel (February 6-19).

"Rest My Knee"

Long-awaited, the Swiss Marco Odermatt and the Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, the two heavyweights at the start of the season, were trapped by the track, in the snow yet "easier" than usual according to the actors of the race, thanks to the weather conditions.

Swiss skier Marco Odermatt during the downhill of Kitzbühel (Austria) counting for the World Cup and disputed on Friday January 20, 2023. © Johann GRODER / APA/AFP

With reduced visibility, Marco Odermatt first managed a balancing act by catching up with an error in the key passage of the Steilhang, one ski on the ground and the other in the air in almost a split, causing him to lose time. important, under the ovation of a conquered public.

Anecdotally 54th, the world No.1 quickly left the finish area, head down under a black hood, after waiting for the doctor once the line was crossed.

Verdict: "Odermatt suffered a blow to the left knee", explains his federation which announced its withdrawal for the second descent on Saturday.

"I'm happy that I didn't end up in the safety nets. I have to rest my knee first, I'll see day by day," Odermatt added, as quoted in the statement.

Kilde, who had hurt his right wrist the day before in training, missed the terrible final overhang and came close to the tarpaulins before miraculously finishing on his two skis, but only in 16th place.

Odermatt remains well ahead of the general classification of the World Cup, 325 points in front of Kilde, at the top of the classification of the specialty.

"Motivation"

Only one skier fell on Friday, the Norwegian Henrik Roea, who fell heavily in the finish area and had to be evacuated on a stretcher.

On the French side, the satisfaction came from the new good performance of Cyprien Sarrazin.

A specialist in the giant in recent years, the 28-year-old skier is tackling the downhill this season with success, after a first Top 10 last month in Val Gardena (Italy), where he had already taken 6th place.

"I made two or three mistakes that cost me dearly, the skiing is there, the intentions are there, I'm happy to make a top-10 for this first Kitzbühel. It gives me motivation for tomorrow", a- he noted in the mixed zone.

French skier Cyprien Sarrazin during the descent of Kitzbühel (Austria) counting for the Alpine Skiing World Cup and disputed on January 20, 2023. © HANS KLAUS TECHT / APA/AFP

Olympic vice-champion Johan Clarey, diminished by personal problems, finished 18th, Nils Allègre 23rd and Blaise Giezendanner 30th.

© 2023 AFP