Alpine Skiing
Marcel Hirscher: "Two versions of myself are clashing inside me"
The legendary skiing career was over – or so everyone thought. Then, Austrian icon Marcel Hirscher made a surprising return, stepping back onto the slopes to face a new generation of competition.
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As the new FIS Ski World Cup season kicked-off in Sölden, Austria, fans were buzzing about a mix of fresh and familiar faces. Two returning names stirred a special kind of curiosity: 24-year-old Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, a former Sölden champ now racing under the Brazilian flag after a year-long hiatus, and the legendary Marcel Hirscher, back after five years of retirement with a different vibe than we’ve seen before.
On Sunday, Hirscher made his low-key return to the circuit, entering the Giant Slalom with bib number 34. The 35-year-old, now competing for the Netherlands, snuck into the second run in 28th place and, in classic Hirscher style, powered through with the third-best time of the round, finishing 23rd (+2.16s). It wasn't a bid for glory, but a chance to get back in the game, showing the humble determination that fans have come to admire.
Marcel Hirscher is back on the piste, kicking-off his comeback in Sölden
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
Hirscher claims he's back without the old pressures, but anyone who knows his competitive spirit can see he still holds himself to high standards. His quiet charisma and grounded attitude have always set him apart and even a low-key Hirscher is bound to turn heads. This might not be a full-on return to his peak form, but for a legend like him, every turn on the slopes hints at something special.
Even without landing on the podium himself, however, Hirscher was able to celebrate success with his ski company VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports, as Henrik Kristoffersen placed second. Kristoffersen pushed hard during his second run on the steep Rettenbach glacier and secured his best-ever result in Sölden, finishing 0.65s behind Steen Olsen and ahead of Atle Lie McGrath as the Norwegians swept the podium.
After the race, Hirscher reflected on the experience in an interview with Austrian television. "I'm really happy to be able to ski down here. There’s been a lot of talk – many critical voices, which are needed - and also very positive ones. We've found a balance somewhere in between." He admitted that while he feels great overall, there's no true preparation for the demands of a race. "Race strain is race strain; you just can’t simulate it in training. I'll have muscle soreness like you wouldn't believe."
Hirscher showed he's still got plenty of speed on his second run
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
I’ll have muscle soreness like you wouldn’t believe
Hirscher's mix of humility and grit shone through in his words, showing that even though he’s taking a different approach to the sport, he's still every bit the competitor. Though he claims he's racing without the weight of past pressures, his high standards and the respect his name commands keep the world watching. This might be an understated comeback, but for those who know Hirscher, it’s clear that every turn he takes on the slopes is still something worth watching.
"Two versions of myself are clashing inside me: one loves this heart project of being able to be the ski racer I always wanted, to compete with my own clothing and ski equipment. Racing for pure joy; collecting moments instead of results. But the racer and fighter that I used to be still exists. I only have to think about the countdown in the start house and my pulse climbs and I feel the adrenaline. So it's both: I'm extremely happy and I'm also really excited.
He feels this ambivalence, but he no longer feels the pressure to perform that he used to, where second place was not enough: "It's logical that I'm not - and can't be – at the same level I was at. Nor am I at the level I could perhaps still reach. I can really assess myself: 2,051 days, five winters, is an extremely long time in ski racing. Some of the guys are at the start with equipment that I don't even know.
Both Hirscher and Lucas Pinheiro Braathen made their comebacks in Sölden
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
"I'm happy with my physical fitness, I feel younger than when I stopped my career. The fact that I don't have as much snow training as I need, well, that's just because I live a completely different life now, where I have more responsibility.”
The same applies to material set-up: "It's different whether I'm working on material development for our company, VAN DEER-Red Bull Sports, on the big line – or whether I want to find my race set-up for my body, my biomechanics, my skiing style, my feet. After nine days of skiing in New Zealand and another eight in the two months since then, we are as far as we can be, because everyone has put in a huge amount of effort."
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