Enlarge image
Cyprien Sarrazin is shaking up the downhill scene
Photo: Mathias Mandl / GEPA pictures / IMAGO
Cyprien Sarrazin made history at the legendary World Cup downhill in Kitzbühel.
The 29-year-old is only the third Frenchman to win on the infamous Streif.
Before him, only Jean-Claude Killy (1967) and Luc Alphand (twice in 1995 and 1997) had achieved this.
In the fourth World Cup victory of his career, Sarrazin won just ahead of the Italian Florian Schieder, who was only 0.05 seconds behind.
Dominator Marco Odermatt from Switzerland (+0.34), who has already celebrated seven victories this season, had to be content with third place this time.
The first eight drivers were separated by just 0.83 seconds.
As the best DSV downhill skiers, Dominik Schwaiger (+1.35) and Simon Jocher (+1.36) narrowly missed the top ten and were in 13th and 14th place in the intermediate rankings. Romed Baumann (+2.32), Josef Ferstl (2.60) and Andreas Sander (+3.18), however, finished behind.
Thomas Dreßen, Kitzbühel winner in 2018, did not start on Friday.
The best German downhill skier in World Cup history will compete in the last race of his career on Saturday (11.30 a.m., TV: ARD and Eurosport) in the classic Hahnenkamm downhill run.
On Thursday, the 30-year-old, who won five races in 79 starts in the World Cup, announced the end of his career due to persistent knee pain.
The Streif is the most famous ski slope in the world.
Tens of thousands of fans and many celebrities are expected back in Kitzbühel.
The race weekend ends with a slalom on Sunday.
In total, more than one million euros in prize money will be distributed.
ast/dpa/sid