One week before the legendary Hahnenkamm races in Kitzbühel and three weeks before the Alpine World Ski Championships in France, the German speed men are still lagging behind the leaders.
Former ski star Felix Neureuther is also puzzled by the poor results of the team around the two runners-up at the 2021 World Cup, Romed Baumann and Andreas Sander.
"It's individual for everyone," Neureuther told ARD after the Germans had clearly missed the top ten in the Super-G and downhill in Wengen at the weekend.
Odermatt and Kilde “in their own league”
Thomas Dreßen, who made his comeback on the Lauberhorn after an injury break of several weeks and finished 23rd in the downhill on Saturday, excluded Neureuther from his analysis.
“There are other things that count at the moment that he comes back.
He will also make his way,” said the 38-year-old about the 2018 Kitzbühel winner.
"But apart from that, everyone puzzles a bit, also internally in the team," reported Neureuther.
"What's missing?
body language?
Approach?
Tactical things?” According to the 13-time World Cup winner, he is of the opinion that you also have to start with the material.
"The others have just outstripped us a bit at the moment when it comes to material coordination," said Neureuther, referring to Sander's 38th place in the Wengen downhill, who was second in the World Championships.
"He doesn't make any mistakes down there and is a really good skier, but he can't build up this train like other athletes by a long shot.
You have to ask yourself the question: Did we miss something in terms of material during the preparation?”
The leaders in the overall World Cup, Marco Odermatt from Switzerland and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde from Norway, who won both speed races in Wengen, are “in a league of their own at the moment,” said Neureuther.
You have to accept it and keep working.